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A banner with a message against the Cuban dictatorship appeared during the broadcast of the game in which Cuba made its debut with a 3-1 victory over Panama in the World Baseball Classic.
In the images, signs could be seen with phrases such as “Down with the dictatorship” and a play on words with Miguel Díaz-Canel's surname ("Díaz-Contados").
The appearance of those banners occurred during the inaugural match of Group A, held at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, where the Cuban national team began its participation in the tournament with a victory.
The episode coincided with a favorable day in sports for the team led by Germán Mesa, which secured the victory with two home runs, solid pitching, and effective management of the bullpen.
Among the visible messages was "Down with the dictatorship" and another sign featuring the phrase "Díaz-C...", presented as a formula "to play with Miguel Díaz-Canel's last name."
In the sporting arena, Cuba gained an early advantage. The first offensive blow came in the second inning when Yoelquis Guibert hit a home run to right field off the Panamanian starter Logan Allen.
One inning later, Yiddi Cappé hit a double, and then Yoan Moncada launched the second home run for Cuba to extend the lead. Those two home runs accounted for the three runs of the Caribbean team.
The Cuban offense did not score again after that initial surge, but the pitchers' performance maintained the lead.
Liván Moinelo opened the game and threw three and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing two hits, issuing two walks, and recording four strikeouts.
Then Yariel Rodríguez retired the seven batters he faced, three of them by strikeout, in one of the strongest relief outings.
Panama was only able to score later with an RBI single from Johan Camargo against Enmanuel Chapman. Even so, the damage was limited.
Darién Núñez recorded the final out of the seventh inning, and then Yoan López and Raidel Martínez completed the closure to secure the final score of 3-1.
The text also highlights offensive individual performances. In addition to the home runs by Guibert and Moncada, Ariel Martínez ranked among the most productive hitters for Cuba, while Leonardo Bernal stood out for Panama; both players recorded two singles.
The victory put Cuba in a good position in Group A. According to the document, the Cuban team's next match will be on Sunday against Colombia, while Panama will play the following day against Puerto Rico.
On the same day as the Cuban debut, Colombia and Puerto Rico were set to face each other at 6:00 PM local time, also at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Based strictly on the provided material, it is confirmed that during the broadcast of the game, banners appeared with messages against the Cuban dictatorship, coinciding with Cuba's victory over Panama in their debut in the tournament.
The document does not provide any official reactions from organizers, television networks, sports authorities, players, or Cuban officials, nor does it specify if the images were censored afterward or led to consequences within the stadium.
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