PASADENA>> The Tournament of Roses learned Tuesday the Latin Band Pedro Molina from Guatemala were not able to secure travel visas to appear in the 2016 Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day.

“We’re very disappointed by the news,” said Richard De Jesu, chairman of the music committee for the Tournament. “They’re a great band and we were looking forward to having them perform during Bandfest and the parade.”

The 340-member band from Instituto Pedro Molina in Guatemala, a Central American country, had appeared in the Rose Parade five years ago as well as in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

There is no word on why the visas were denied, said De Jesu, but in his 25 years with the Tournament he has never encountered this type of situation.

“We’ve had bands that faced weather delays, but nothing like this,” he said.

Attempts to reach the band for comment on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

A statement released by the Tournament Tuesday said they were “working collaboratively with elected officials and the U.S. Embassy to assist the band in securing the necessary travel documents.”

De Jesu said other than offering guidance and hosting the bands that are invited to the parade, they do not have any influence or control over the group’s ability to gain travel visas, or even transportation.

“That’s between them and the government,” he said. “Each band takes care of their own transportation to get here.”

The U.S. Embassy is unable to comment due to visa case records being confidential and information can only be provided to visa applicants.

Even a last-minute miracle may not be enough.

“It doesn’t look like they’re going to be able to get the necessary documents in time to travel here,” said De Jesu.

As of now, the parade lineup will remain the same, sans the Pedro Molina band, but will be about two minutes shorter.

A colorful field show and high quality music program was what prompted the Tournament to extend the invite to the Pedro Molina band after they applied, said De Jesu.

The committee also seeks to recruit bands from all around the world. Bands are eligible to apply every four years. De Jesu hopes the Pedro Molina band would reapply in the future. Though the 2017 bands have already been sent out invitations, De Jesu said the committee would have to really consider if they would make a departure from their rules and consider allowing the Guatemala band to reapply before the four year requirement.

“I feel bad for the students, they obviously worked very hard,” said De Jesu.