Madrid, Spain — Nineteen youth Venezuelan baseball players have claimed asylum in Barcelona during a tour of Europe, Spanish police told AFP on Monday.

According to El Pais newspaper, the 19 include two who are under 18.

The players "came to Madrid by plane, then from Madrid they came to Barcelona and presented themselves at a police station to claim asylum," a Spanish police spokesperson told AFP.

The spokesperson added the players' claims will be looked at on Thursday.

Spain has experienced an increase in asylum claims from Venezuelans recently, with 63.5% of all demands in the country last year coming from the South American nation.

According to the United Nations, around eight million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014 as the oil-rich economy imploded.

President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in earlier this year after claiming victory in an election on 28 July.

The United States and much of Latin America recognize opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate winner and have accused Maduro of staging a coup.

Venezuela was angered when Spain decided to give asylum to Gonzalez Urrutia in September, and has accused Madrid of interfering in its affairs.