Culiacan, Mexico - The chairman of the Caribbean Baseball Confederation, Juan Francisco Puello, has predicted the Series starting today in Culiacan, Mexico, that gather the region''s best players will be a great event.

The champion teams from the Professional Leagues of Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the host country and Cuba as the invited nation will contest for a most revered title of the regional event founded in 1949 in Havana.

Playing in Culiacan are the Mexicalli Eagles (Mexico), the Zulia Eagles (Venezuela), the Licey Tigers (Dominican Republic), the Caguas Creoles (Puerto Rico) and the Granma Chestnuts (Cuba).

The Cubans and Dominicans are playing the opener, and then after the opening ceremony the Creoles will play the host Mexicalli Eagles.

'We are going to live a great Caribbean Series, with top quality games', said Puello who will chair the Confederation's Assembly which will discuss among other issues the presence of Cuba in the regional organization. Cuba, a founder of the Caribbean Series in 1949, was expelled from it in 1960 by pressure of the US Major League organization and the US Government. In those first 11 years, Cuban teams won seven regional championships.

After a long absence, the Confederation decided in 2014 to accept the Cuban champion teams back as guest teams. On this occasion, the organization is discussing on the island's permanent membership.