CMLL Stars’ Visas Reportedly Being Canceled, Could Impact WrestleMania Week Shows

A host of work visas for CMLL talents are reportedly being canceled, with big implications for some WrestleMania Week events. PWInsider reports that the US government is in the process of canceling work visas for 19 CMLL workers including Volador Jr., Hechicero, Mascara Dorada, Blue Panther, Dulce Gardenia, El Sagrado, El Suicida, Electrico, Espiritu Negro, Euforia, Fugaz, Gemelo Diablo 1 and 2, Magico, Robin, Sangre Imperial, Soberano, Templario, and referee Sagaz.

The report notes that according to sources near the whole matter, the cancellations are due to issues that Texas indie promotion Full Blown Pro ran into with CMLL management over the vise process. Full Blown Pro had “essentially” sponsored the group visas for the talents and CMLL’s Salvador Lutteroth had placed other employees including one who had been in charge of legal but has since left, in charge of handling CMLL’s side of the process. According to the report, the US Department of Homeland Security (who issue work visas) contacted Full Blown Pro promoter Jerry Cadena with unknown questions about the visa. During that process, Cadena was told that if the visas were flagged due to the issue, he could be accused of fraud.

Cadena then apparently contacted CMLL about working with them to fix the issues, but that CMLL’s people said they’d take care of it through the US Embassy in Mexico and didn’t respond beyond that. However the Embassies don’t issue the vias. One source said that CMLL believed they could handle it that was as a family member works for the Embassy. It’s not clear if this is something that can handled through that process. The belief is that once CMLL stopped talking to Cadena and with his potentially being on the hook legally, he told DHS that he no longer inteded to work with CMLL moving ahead and that any agreements he signed to work with their talents would end as of today.

As a result, unless everything is somehow worked out in very short order, the talents are unlikely to be able to work WrestleMania weekend shows as new work visas would be required and that would take a few months to handle unless a number of expensive fees are paid to expedite the process. Work visas can potentially take as long as six to 12 months.

CMLL talent is currently advertised for a number of events including WrestleMania weekend shows in Philadelphia as well as NJPW Windy City Riot. Volador Jr., Hechicero, and Mascara Dorada have all been working in AEW recently as part of a partnership between the two companies.