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During the match between Cuba and Colombia at the World Baseball Classic, several fans took advantage of the international broadcast of the event to display protest messages against the Cuban regime, in a new demonstration of the political discontent surrounding the team in international tournaments.
In images captured by television from the stands of the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, several spectators were seen wearing black pullovers with the phrase “Díaz-Canel singao”, a message that has become a slogan of rejection against the (bad) governor of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The scene was visible for a few seconds on the television signal, showing how some Cubans inside and outside the island use international sporting events as a platform to denounce the political situation in Cuba.
From posters to t-shirts
In previous matches of the Cuban team in international tournaments, protests often took the form of posters or banners. This time, the demonstrators opted for T-shirts with printed messages, a more subtle way to make their slogan visible to millions of viewers.
In addition to the images that made it to the television broadcast, several reports on social media indicated that stadium security removed other fans from Hiram Bithorn who were trying to display similar messages during the game.
This is not the first time that the Cuba team at the World Baseball Classic has been surrounded by political demonstrations in the stands, reflecting the tensions between part of the Cuban exile community and the government of Havana.
The World Baseball Classic, one of the most watched events in international baseball, has thus become not only a sports showcase but also a platform where some Cubans seek to make their rejection of the regime visible to a global audience.
What does "singao" mean?
The word "singao" is an insult used in Cuba to describe a wicked, vile, or infamous person. It comes from the intransitive verb "singar," which has two meanings in the Spanish language.
The first refers to the action of rowing with a paddle at the stern of a boat, generating forward movement; the second and more commonly known alludes to engaging in sexual intercourse.
In the Dictionary of Americanisms (a lexical repertoire that aims to collect all the words unique to Spanish in America), "singao" is referred to as "singado" and has two meanings: "sexual intercourse, taboo" or "a person of low moral standing."
Why do they call the Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel "singao"?
The term "singao" has been associated for some time with a phrase directed at the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel, and it originates from a Cuban rap song that, according to its author, emerged during a concert in Colombia.
"When I say Díaz-Canel, you say singao. Díaz-Canel! Singao! Díaz-Canel! Singao!" is the chorus of Diazca, by musicians Aldo el Aldeano and Silvito el Libre.
The Cuban community popularized the musical theme and spread it worldwide as a clear expression of rejection of the island's leader.
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