On Saturday, at the closing of the Chiefs of Mission Seminar for the XXIV Central American and Caribbean Games San Salvador 2023, there was a tour of the Estadio Nacional Jorge “El Mágico” González and the Villa Centroamericana y del Caribe, at the facilities of Universidad de El Salvador (UES).
In addition to the 34 Chief of Mission delegates who attended the seminar, the president of the Organizing Committee of the San Salvador 2023 Games (COSSAN2023), Yamil Bukele, and the president of Centro Caribe Sports, Luis Mejía, from the Dominican Republic, were also present.
At the end of the tour of the villa, there was a very significant moment, both for the Chiefs of Mission and for all the COSSAN2023 staff in attendance, with Luis Mejía as the protagonist.
It was the president of the highest regional sports organization who took the floor and, with evident pride, expressed a few words that undoubtedly allowed for a sense of triumph for all the human talent involved in the organization of the San Salvador 2023 Games.
“I have thought of making a gesture that can measure the magnitude of my words, which are not a compliment: I take my hat off to the work I have seen. Es. I was here from January 21 to 23, and there were only earthworks; now the buildings of different levels, one, two, up to four levels, are built to accommodate our athletes. It has been done with the rigorousness that we have seen and felt”, mentioned Mejía.
I have thought of making a gesture that can measure the magnitude of my words, which are not a compliment: I take my hat off to the work I have seen.
Luis Mejía Oviedo, president of Centro Caribe Sports
In addition, Mejía praised the place where the more than 4,500 athletes that will be attending the games will be hosted, as well as the Government of El Salvador, which has invested $48 million dollars to have an exceptional Villa Centroamericana y del Caribe.
“In short, we are going to have a villa worthy of our athletes, and here there is a great winner, which is UES. I want to congratulate the government and the university itself that accepted the proposal, because we are making a contribution to the future of education in El Salvador,” he said.
The president of Centro Caribe Sports also looked back to the past, to the 2002 San Salvador Games, and recognized the effort of President Nayib Bukele for accepting the challenge of organizing the third Central American and Caribbean Games in the history of El Salvador, after the 1935 and 2002 editions.
“We were here in 2002, and we have returned two decades later, to the third games of El Salvador. What is the message? The interest of the government of President Nayib Bukele in leaving a legacy to young people, students, the university, and the people of El Salvador. These games will leave a legacy,” he said.
The president also announced that, as an organization, they will do something that has never been done before: receive the starting flag of the works and give a virtual tour of them to all the athletes who will participate in the San Salvador 2023 Games.
“As president of the organization (Centro Caribe Sports), I have come with the international delegates so that you can see the level of confidence. We are going to do something that has never been done before: we are going to come to receive the starting flag for all these works, and we are going to give a virtual tour to all the athletes who are coming, open to everyone. We will make a symbolic key handover between June 5 and 10, and they have accepted our request. It means the guarantee that they will finish, and not only finish but also furnish and fit out”, he announced.
What is the message? The interest of the government of President Nayib Bukele in leaving a legacy to young people, students, the university, and the people of El Salvador. These games will leave a legacy.
Luis Mejía Oviedo, president of Centro Caribe Sports
Mejía did not miss the opportunity to congratulate COSSAN2023, the National Sports Institute of El Salvador (INDES), President Nayib Bukele, and all the people and institutions involved in this hard work, carried out in a year and a half.
“The delegates are leaving this tour with great satisfaction. I congratulate COSSSAN2023, its team; I congratulate the National Sports Institute of El Salvador (INDES) for its partnership; I congratulate the construction companies; and I congratulate the government of President Nayib Bukele. We are witnessing work done in a year and a half that takes six years for other countries”, he said.
Before finishing, Mejía, who at the time was at the Polideportivo UES, made a remark about the place where he decided to express his words and gave a vote of confidence to the San Salvador 2023 Games.
“Why did I choose to say the closing words here? Because in this area you see a field for soccer and beach soccer, in these fields will be the dining room, and I ended here this tour and these words because on June 13 you will see me in there having lunch, in the virtual tour, I will make those who are at home a little envious. That is the degree of confidence I have in San Salvador 2023”, he concluded.