Latin American athletes are often praised for resilience, even though the word describes what institutions fail to provide. Willis García’s Pan American Games gold in Santiago in 2023, the first by a Venezuelan man, broke another barrier. This continuity helps explain why Venezuelan judo remains competitive despite having fewer resources than global powers. The 2027 Pan American Games in Lima will be a crucial test, the place where Patete says it will become clearer “who is going to the Olympic Games.” Yet Venezuelan judo has always advanced through narrow spaces.