Royals’ Salvador Perez speaks out on violence in Venezuela after mother is victim of armed robbery

In a heartfelt and prepared message, Royals catcher Salvador Perez spoke out against the violence that has gripped his native Venezuela after his mother was victim of an armed robbery and carjacking on Sunday.

In a post on his Instagram page, Perez said his mother, Yilda, was doing fine after the incident, and the car, a Toyota 4Runner, was recovered by national police. But the robbery, which took place in Perez’s hometown of Valencia, motivated the reigning World Series Most Valuable Player to offer a public stand on social media.

“Thank God nothing bad happened and the thieves took the car and it was recovered a bit later by the national police,” Perez wrote, according to a translation by The Kansas City Star. “Thank God my mom is perfectly fine and calm, but until what point do people stop respecting each other? We are here upholding Venezuela’s name, but criminals don’t respect gender, profession, nothing. It hurts me.

“People, we have a country that every day, falls deeper in hunger, crime, scarcity, and lack of security. Without getting into details, I’m not talking about politics nor social classes, I’m speaking from the heart: Why is my country bleeding?”

Before becoming the most indispensable member of a World Series champion, Perez, 25, was raised in Valencia, an industrial hub of close to 2 million people near the northern coast of Venezuela. Perez, who signed with the Royals as a 16-year-old in 2006, grew up in a home with his mother, Yilda Diaz, and was partially raised by his maternal grandmother, who died in 2013.

In recent years, following the death of President Hugo Chavez in 2013, Venezuela has been gripped by protests, political demonstrations, food shortages and civil unrest. Amidst the tumult, professional baseball players have often become targets. In 2011, Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped at gunpoint outside his home in Valencia. He was rescued two days later.

The violence and political tension have caused many major-league organizations to close their baseball academies in the country. As of last summer, just four clubs still operated academies in Venezuela, down from more than 20 in the 1990s.

On Sunday night, after his mother’s incident, Perez wrote that he sought to avoid an overt political statement. But he said he loved his home country and felt the need to speak out for a “better Venezuela.”

“I love it,” Perez wrote. “A lot of people will say ‘It’s easy to talk from there (USA),’ but I also fight for my country every day and to exalt its name. Venezuela, I will continue to love you today more than anyone else. Let’s keep fighting for a better Venezuela. God is with us. Let’s not lose faith, my people. I LOVE YOU MOM, I’ll see you soon. And may God keep everyone safe.”

During Perez’s tenure with the Royals, his mother has become a regular visitor to Kauffman Stadium, often spending weeks at a time with her son in Kansas City. In 2012, Perez signed a below-market contract extension that guaranteed him $7 million across five seasons and featured three team options. The contract keeps him under team control through 2019. He signed the deal, in large part, to have the financial means to take care of his mother.

On Monday, Perez worked out in the morning at the Royals’ spring training complex and left without speaking to reporters. Before he left, he stopped for a brief chat with Royals manager Ned Yost, who patted him on the chest as he headed back to the clubhouse.

Later on Monday, Yost said Perez appeared to be fine, though the two did not speak about Perez’s mother.

“I think everything was OK,” Yost said. “I think everything played out OK. I’m not really sure of the particulars.

“I talked to him today and he was in great spirits. I think everything is OK.”

Here’s is the full message from Perez’s Instagram account, as translated by The Star:

“Today during the day my mother (Valencia) was robbed of her car, a 4 runner, by heavily armed men and she was threatened with a guns pointed at her. Well thank God nothing bad happened and the thieves took the car and it was recovered a bit later by the national police. Thank God my mom is perfectly fine and calm, but until what point do people stop respecting each other? We are here upholding Venezuela’s name, but criminals don’t respect gender, profession, nothing.

“It hurts me. People, we have a country that every day, falls deeper in hunger, crime, scarcity, and lack of security. Without getting into details, I’m not talking about politics nor social classes, I’m speaking from the heart: why is my country bleeding? And I love it. A lot of people will say ‘It’s easy to talk from there (USA)’, but I also fight for my country every day and to exalt it’s name. Venezuela, I will continue to love you today more than anyone else. Let’s keep fighting for a better Venezuela. God is with us. Let’s not lose faith, my people. I LOVE YOU MOM, I’ll see you soon. And may God keep everyone safe.”

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Royals’ Salvador Perez speaks out on violence in Venezuela after mother is victim of armed robbery."