Editing Venezuela (section)

=== Sport ===
{{Main|Sport in Venezuela}}
{{See also|Baseball in Venezuela|Football in Venezuela}}
[[File:Estadio Monumental de Caracas Simon Bolivar Feb 2023 Venezuela (5).jpg|[[Monumental Stadium of Caracas Simón Bolívar]] is used by the [[Venezuelan Professional Baseball League]] and has a capacity of approximately 40,000 spectators.|thumb]]
The origins of baseball in Venezuela are unclear, although it is known that the sport was being played in the country by the late 19th century.{{sfn|Nichols|Morse|2010|p=306}} In the early 20th century, North American immigrants who came to Venezuela to work in the nation's oil industry helped to popularize the sport in Venezuela.{{sfn|Wardrope|2003|p=37}} During the 1930s, baseball's popularity continued to rise in the country, leading to the foundation of the [[Venezuelan Professional Baseball League]] (LVBP) in 1945, and the sport would soon become the nation's most popular.{{sfn|Jozsa|2013|p=12}}{{sfn|Gibson|2006|p=18}}

The popularity of baseball in the country makes Venezuela a rarity among its South American neighbors—association football is the dominant sport in the continent.{{sfn|Wardrope|2003|p=37}}{{sfn|Gibson|2006|p=18}}{{sfn|Nichols|Morse|2010|p=307}} However, football, as well as [[basketball]], are among the more popular sports played in Venezuela.{{sfn|Aalgaard|2004|p=54}} Venezuela hosted the [[2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men|2012 Basketball World Olympic Qualifying Tournament]] and the [[FIBA Americas Championship|2013 FIBA Basketball Americas Championship]], which took place in the [[Poliedro de Caracas]].

Although not as popular in Venezuela as the rest of South America, football, spearheaded by the [[Venezuela national football team]] is gaining popularity as well. The sport is also noted for having an increased focus during the World Cup.{{sfn|Aalgaard|2004|p=54}} Venezuela is scheduled to host the [[Copa América]] every 40 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conmebol.com/articulos_ver.jsp?id=61730&slangab=E|title=Copa America: a new cycle begins and the revolving calendar remains|publisher=CONMEBOL|date=21 December 2007|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205191359/http://www.conmebol.com/articulos_ver.jsp?id=61730&slangab=E|archive-date=5 December 2008}}</ref>

Venezuela is also home to former [[Formula 1]] driver, [[Pastor Maldonado]].<ref name="Strickland2015">{{cite web|last=Strickland|first=Jamie|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/32275593|title=Pastor Maldonado: Does 'Crashtor' deserve his bad reputation?|publisher=BBC|date=12 April 2015|access-date=6 July 2015}}</ref> Maldonado has increased the reception of Formula 1 in Venezuela, helping to popularize the sport in the country.<ref>{{cite web|last=Montiel|first=Santiago|url=http://spartannewsroom.com/changeup/article/blog/formula-1-needs-more-attention-united-states|title=Formula 1 needs more attention in the United States|publisher=Spartan Newsroon|access-date=6 July 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706181313/http://spartannewsroom.com/changeup/article/blog/formula-1-needs-more-attention-united-states|archive-date=6 July 2015}}</ref>

In the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], [[Rubén Limardo]] won a gold medal in [[Fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics|fencing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-blogs/fencing/fencer-ruben-limardo-returns-to-heros-welcome-in-venezuela.html|title=Fencer Ruben Limardo returns to hero's welcome in Venezuela|publisher=NBC Olympics|date=7 August 2012|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120807221821/http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-blogs/fencing/fencer-ruben-limardo-returns-to-heros-welcome-in-venezuela.html|archive-date=7 August 2012}}</ref>

In the Winter Sports, [[Cesar Baena]] had represented the country since 2008 in Nordic Skiing, the first South American skier to compete in a FIS Cross Country Ski World Cup on Düsseldorf 2009.