Cuba received approval from the United States State Department to return to the Caribbean Baseball Series according to the ESPN website.

Dominican Joel Araujo, director of international development for the U.S. Major Leagues, told ESPN that he was tremendously pleased to inform the world that Cuba will, in fact, return to the Caribbean Series.

Thus, the country’s 53-year absence from the tournament - which was established in 1949, in Havana - comes to an end.

The event will take place February 1-7, in the Nueva Esparta stadium on Venezuela’s Margarita Island.

Representing Cuba will be last year’s National Series champions Villa Clara, who will face title teams from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. A sixth team may be incorporated from Colombia, Nicaragua or Panama.

The decision regarding a sixth team will be made by the Caribbean Federation, but the good news, Araujo said, is about Cuba’s return.

The Caribbean Federation announced Cuba’s participation several months ago, but the Major Leagues vetoed the decision citing regulations stemming from the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the U.S. on Cuba.