The then First Lady of Mexico praised Mexican players Vinny Castilla, Jesús 'Chito' Ríos, Fernando Valenzuela, and Teodoro Higuera, highlighting their commitment and passion for the game.
One of the first meetings between former President López Obrador and Fernando Valenzuela took place during a tour in Sinaloa in September 2018. Since then, the president has shown his admiration for the legendary Mexican pitcher.
The death of Fernando Valenzuela shocked fans of all ages, as he was considered one of the best Mexican baseball players, having shone with the Dodgers and in Mexican baseball.
Baseball, recognized as 'The King of Sports,' has played a crucial role in Mexico, and former President López Obrador has promoted this discipline and even participated in friendly games alongside Valenzuela and other prominent former players.
On one occasion, López Obrador played a match alongside several former baseball players, including Valenzuela. The game took place at the Deportivo de la Alianza de Tranviarios in Mexico City, where they tied 11 runs against the IMSS team.
The former president's participation in baseball matches has been well received by fans, and in one of the games, he pointed out that despite starting off behind, they managed to come back. Among the players present were Vinny Castilla, Teodoro Higuera, Chito Ríos, and other prominent athletes.
In another friendly match in August 2022, López Obrador and Fernando Valenzuela faced each other in a game that the former president described as a pride for Mexico. López Obrador's wife shared some images from the event on social media and expressed her enthusiasm for baseball and for her husband's performance in the game.
