Why Many Cuban Exiles Support Trump and the Extreme Right?
By Amaury Cruz (Progreso Weekly)
HAVANA TIMES – In the heart of Miami’s Little Havana, the echoes of a painful past still shape the political beliefs of a fanatically loyal voting bloc. Decades after fleeing Fidel Castro’s Cuba, many Cuban exiles remain steadfast in their support for the Republican Party, embracing figures like Donald Trump with unwavering enthusiasm. It’s a paradox that puzzles outsiders: Why do so many Cuban exiles back right-wing politicians who, contrary to their rhetoric, have done little to “liberate” Cuba or defend their interests in exile?
The answer lies not in tangible policy achievements but in a deep-seated historical narrative, ideological alignment, and a political identity forged in the fires of Cold War propaganda.
A Political Identity Rooted in Anti-Communism
For many Cuban exiles, politics is not just about policy—it is about survival. Having lived through the trauma of a socialist revolution that stripped some of them of property, freedom, and homeland, many see any hint of leftist ideology as anathema. While Democrats promote social programs and progressive policies that help immigrants, these often bear an uncomfortable resemblance, in the minds of many exiles, to the rhetoric that once justified Castro’s rule.
Republicans’ discourse, by contrast, offers an uncompromising stance against “socialism,” even if their actions fall short of dismantling the Cuban regime and conflate democratic socialism with authoritarianism. Trump, in particular, wields anti-socialist phraseology masterfully, scaring Cuban and Venezuelan exiles into believing that voting for Democrats would be a step toward turning the United States into another Cuba or Venezuela.
For older generations of Cuban exiles, the fearmongering resonates. They don’t just remember the revolution—they lived it. And for them, politics is not a matter of policy details but of preventing history from repeating itself. Older generations have drilled this notion into the minds of their descendants as well. As a result, deep hate and resentments continue to dominate their thoughts, tethered to an imagined past that never was.
The Betrayal That Never Healed
To understand the origin of Cuban exiles’ distrust of the Democratic Party, one must look back to 1961 and the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. The operation, launched by Cuban exiles with CIA backing, was abandoned by President John F. Kennedy at a crucial moment. For many exiles, this was more than a military defeat—it was an unforgivable betrayal that cemented trans-generational distrust of Democrats.
That wound has never fully healed. As later Democratic administrations, including those of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, pursued a more diplomatic and rational approach to Cuba, these efforts were seen not as steps toward liberation but as concessions to a dictatorship. By contrast, Republican leaders have historically taken an ostensibly harder line against the Cuban regime—even if their policies amount to little more than empty words and economic sanctions that hurt ordinary Cubans but have failed to produce positive political change over the course of sixty years.
The Power of Rhetoric Over Results
Exiles welcome Trump’s policies toward Cuba, such as rescinding Obama’s diplomatic project and reinstating strict sanctions, even though they do little to weaken the Cuban government while causing much harm to family members or Cubans on the island. But many Cuban-Americans don’t care about the actual results or who they’re helping. What’s important is the symbolism: the idea that Trump is “tough” on communism, while Democrats are soft.
Thus, Republican policies have failed to bring tangible benefits to the Cuban exile community, but the party’s image as the ultimate enemy of communism has survived. In a political climate where perception matters more than reality, that image is enough to secure support.
Economics, Religion, and the Conservative Mindset
Beyond foreign policy, Cuban exiles also align with Republicans on domestic issues. Many in the community have thrived as business owners and entrepreneurs, and they view the Republican emphasis on low taxes and deregulation as beneficial to their success. Ironically, early Cuban exiles received help through a set of specific assistance programs that established the foundation for their collective success and should be a model for how to deal with immigrants in general. But this fact is forgotten and now many Cuban exiles have no sympathy for newer arrivals.
Religious conservatism also plays a role. Cuban culture has deep Catholic roots, and issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and religious “freedom” often push Cuban voters toward the GOP. The Democratic Party’s embrace of progressive social policies only reinforces the belief that it is out of step with their values. Machismo also plays a role, and strongmen have held Cubans in thrall throughout the island nation’s history. Trump, with his false bravado and dictatorial inclinations, is more the type of Cuban exiles than the likes of wimpish Biden.
The Role of Media and Political Echo Chambers
Spanish-language conservative media has further fueled Cuban exiles’ loyalty to the right. Miami’s airwaves are saturated with talk radio and television programs that frame Democrats as communist sympathizers and cast Republican leaders as defenders of freedom. In an insular community where family and social networks reinforce political beliefs, this makes it difficult to break the cycle of Republican loyalty.
A Vote Based on Fear, Not Results
For many Cuban exiles, supporting Trump and the Republican Party is not about whether they deliver results—it’s about ensuring that the U.S. never takes a step toward “socialism.” The wounds of exile run deep, and fear is a powerful political motivator.
Even as Trump and other right-wing figures fail to “liberate” Cuba or materially improve the lives of Cuban exiles, their lies and rhetoric are enough. In the political imagination of many Cuban-Americans, the Republican Party remains the last line of defense against the ideology that took their homeland. And in the battle between facts and fear-induced fantasy, fantasy keeps winning––as in much of the country overall.
*Amaury Cruz is a writer, political activist, and retired lawyer living in South Carolina.