Jackson Chourio, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, is currently in his home country of Venezuela along with several other team members. This comes after the United States’ capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro during an overnight strike. The situation has created uncertainty about how long he and other players will remain in the country, prompting the team to quickly address logistical concerns on the morning of January 3.

Just hours before the news of the U.S. operation broke, Chourio delivered a standout performance on January 2 while playing in the Venezuelan winter league. He hit an extra-inning home run that proved to be the game-winner for his team, Aguilas del Zulia, in their playoff opener.

The Brewers had previously agreed on an unannounced date for Chourio to finish his stint in the Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) before the postseason ended in late January. Chourio mentioned that he had “very few games left” following the game on January 2. However, the recent events have raised concerns about potential civil unrest or further U.S. involvement in Venezuela. President Donald Trump’s statement on January 3 that America would “run” the country added to the uncertainty.

Given this situation, it would make sense for the Brewers to expedite the return of Chourio and other players to the U.S. before spring training begins in February. However, there is a complicating factor: the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented a ban on U.S. aircraft flying into Venezuela following the military strikes in Caracas.

“We don’t have much information at the moment, but we’re trying to follow up,” said Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold, as relayed by a team spokesperson. “We know the airports have been shut down, but not much beyond that.”

Other Brewers players are also affected by the situation. Infielder Andruw Monasterio is playing in the LVBP playoffs for Caribes de Anzoátegui, while catcher Jeferson Quero, a native of Venezuela, played for Cardenales de Lara this winter and remains in the country, according to his agent Peter Greenberg. Reliever Angel Zerpa was in Venezuela when he was acquired by the Brewers in December, though it’s unclear if he is still there. Meanwhile, William Contreras, another Venezuelan native, resides outside the country during the off-season.

Chourio’s performance in the Venezuelan playoffs has been impressive. He went 4 for 5 in his playoff debut and finished just a triple short of a cycle. Over the past five seasons, he has played for Aguilas each year, and this season he has been one of the league’s top performers, going 13 for his last 18 at-bats with four extra-base hits, eight runs scored, and no strikeouts.

Aguilas del Zulia is having its best season since 2016-17, when they won the LVBP championship. For Chourio, representing his hometown team in the postseason is especially meaningful. The 21-year-old outfielder dealt with a hamstring strain during the regular season and playoffs for the Brewers, limiting him to only eight games with Zulia. One of those games was played hours before a reported drone strike near Maracaibo, Chourio’s hometown and the home of Aguilas, on December 24. On that night, Chourio went 5 for 5.