Panama Attends its Fourth World Baseball Classic Facing Cuba on Friday
High noon Friday we will see Panama’s debut in its fourth World Baseball Classic, and with a historic rivalry: Cuba. Everything stops for baseball fans. For those who closely follow Panamanian baseball, there’s a sense that this roster is better constructed than in previous years. There’s a tangible combination of experience, current form, and potential. The challenge, however, is brutal. Four games in four days, with no margin for error, against Cuba, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Colombia. On the mound, Panama boasts one of its most complete lineups in years.
Names like Logan Allen, Ariel Jurado, Humberto Mejía, and Jaime Barría solidify the rotation, while veteran Paolo Espino, making his third appearance, will be an option in the bullpen alongside Andy Otero, Abdiel Mendoza, Miguel Gómez, Darío Agrazal, and Kenny Hernández, forming a deep and versatile pitching staff. But this team isn’t just about pitching. The offense has a structure that blends youth and Major League experience.
Players like José Ramos, Leonardo Jiménez, and Enrique Bradfield Jr. represent this new generation with tools, hunger, and power, while established figures like Edmundo Sosa, José “Chema” Caballero, and Miguel Amaya contribute the competitive level demanded by a tournament of this magnitude. It’s not a perfect lineup, but it’s functional. It has speed, contact, and timely power. And in short tournaments, that combination can be enough if executed precisely. Panama is part of a select group of countries that will be present in 2026.
But qualifying is no longer enough. The absence of Iván Herrera, probably the best Panamanian hitter right now, is a significant loss. But it’s also true that baseball, more than any other sport, rewards teamwork over individual brilliance. And this team isn’t in the mood for regrets. The key will be simple in theory, complex in execution: take it one game at a time.
In such a balanced group, three wins can guarantee passage to the next round. Unlike other groups in the tournament, this one doesn’t have a clear favorite. And that, far from being a disadvantage, opens a door. Panama must embrace this scenario without hesitation, understanding that they have what it takes to advance in Houston.
Foreign Minister Assures that Panama is Maintaining Dialogue with Cuba to Address the Case of the 10 Detained Panamanians. Initially, 20 Panamanians Traveled to Cuba.
Panama City, Panama: Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez held a conversation with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, to address the situation of the ten Panamanian citizens who remain detained on the island after being presented before a judicial authority. The foreign minister explained Thursday March 5 during the press conference of the President of the Republic José Raúl Mulino…….initially 20 Panamanians traveled to Cuba; of these, ten remain detained, since the rest managed to leave before the arrests took place.
The young men were formally charged with the crime of propaganda against the constitutional order, as defined in Article 124 of the Cuban Penal Code, after their appearance before the island’s judicial system. “They shouted slogans against the Cuban regime; there were 20 of them; 10 were able to leave beforehand. Those ten Panamanians are being investigated by the Cuban judicial authorities, and we have guaranteed their consular assistance,” Martínez-Acha stated. According to information confirmed by sources linked to the case, the ten young men are being held in Villa Marista, a detention center in Havana that is usually used by Cuban authorities to keep in custody people investigated and convicted for crimes related to the security of the State.
The Ten Panamanians Detained in Cuba are:
- Victor Manuel Pinzón Cedeño
- Evelyn Edith Castro
- Anthony Williams Jules Pérez
- Omar Gilberto Urriola Vergara
- Maykol Jesús Pérez Almendra
- Adalberto Antonio Navarro Asprilla
- Abigail Sthefany Gudiño Castro
- Patrochiny Jerodany Joseph Arisarena
- José Luis Aguirre Baruco
Panama’s ambassador and consul general in Cuba, Edwin Pitty, confirmed that he plans to meet with the detained Panamanians this Friday, as part of the consular assistance efforts being carried out by the Panamanian government, according to information provided by the foreign minister. In addition, the Panamanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is evaluating the possibility of having external legal advisors who can provide support in the defense of the young people during the judicial process taking place on the island. Meanwhile, Panamanian authorities are carrying out consular procedures to facilitate the necessary permits for the detainees’ families to travel to Cuba and visit them, while diplomatic efforts continue with the Cuban government to follow up on the case.
