America, Land of the Obedient and Indoctrinated Free.
When Trump rose to political prominence during the Obama years, I noticed a sharp shift in the American socio-political landscape — a shift that stirred haunting memories of my past.
I'm Cuban — how could I ignore the unsettling similarities between the passion I witnessed here and the indoctrination I grew up with under Fidel Castro’s revolution? The fervor surrounding Trump’s movement mirrored the unwavering loyalty Castro demanded.
Back in Cuba, control seeped into every aspect of daily life: neighbors spied on neighbors, loyalty to Castro was mandatory, and questioning the revolution could cost you your future — and your children’s future. Religion was blamed for moral decay, dissent was crushed, and universities reserved for the obedient.
To survive, we had to pretend. To question was dangerous. To think for ourselves — unforgivable.
A Haunted Past Returns
By 2015, I was already noticing alarming signs of ideological control taking root in the U.S. — a growing intolerance for dissent, a demand for absolute political loyalty, and an emerging culture of public shaming. Political allegiance began to overshadow reason, and blind loyalty to one man — rather than loyalty to democratic principles — became the new test of patriotism.
It was around this time that I was first labeled a communist — not because I embraced leftist ideology, but simply because I refused to support Donald Trump.
The similarities only became more unsettling with time. Consider the fervent reaction to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Claims of a stolen election became a litmus test for loyalty, with figures like Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers — a lifelong Republican — publicly ostracized for refusing to endorse baseless claims of fraud.
This divide wasn’t just political; it seeped into friendships, workplaces, and even churches, where disagreement often led to isolation.
A society that once prided itself on freedom and critical thought is now gripped by tactics of division, demands for absolute devotion, and a growing intolerance for dissent. For instance, school board meetings across America now resemble ideological battlegrounds, where debates over critical race theory and book bans have triggered threats, censorship, and the vilification of educators — eerily reminiscent of Cuba’s repression of intellectuals who dared to question the revolution.
Once, I was called a counterrevolutionary worm paid by the mafia of Miami for opposing such evils. Today, I’m called a communist for opposing the very same evils.
Seriously, I never thought I would escape Patria o Muerte... only to face it again.
Cuban Roots of American Indoctrination
Back in Cuba, anything not aligned with the revolution was branded capitalist, imperialist, or, with calculated precision, a threat to the people. These labels shaped our views on authority and freedom, distorting perceptions and creating an "us vs. them" mentality that left no room for nuance.
Decades later, in modern America, I hear the same rhetorical weapons being deployed. A stark example is the January 6th Capitol riot, where protesters chanted slogans like Stop the Steal, echoing the dogmatic fervor I witnessed during Castro's speeches. Opposition to the rioters' cause was branded un-American — a dangerous parallel to the Cuban regime’s tactic of dehumanizing dissenters as gusanos (worms).
I fled a regime where there was no middle ground — only absolute loyalty or absolute betrayal. And yet, here in Miami, I see history repeating itself. The chant has changed, but the demand for blind allegiance remains. It is no longer about revolution or capitalism, Fatherland or Death. Today, the battle lines are drawn between Trumpism and communism, Trump or Death.
Back in Cuba during the eighties, I wasn’t a heroic patriot, but I criticized Castro nonetheless. For that, I was branded a worm paid by the mafia of Miami. Cynically, in the U.S., if I criticize Trump, I’m a communist. The system has changed, but the mindset is exactly the same.
Indoctrination isn’t about truth or lie — it’s about obedience.
The brainwashing starts in pre-K.
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices." — William James.
Indoctrination begins early. In Cuba, children were forced to pledge allegiance to Castro, chant slogans like "We will be like Che," and ridicule peers from religious families. We were taught to ostracize and shame anyone who dared dream of life outside the revolution.
In Cuba, indoctrination was blunt — there was nothing to hide. The government controlled all information, eliminating even the possibility of comparison. In America, the mask is shinier and trickier. Here, the illusion of choice exists — an endless flood of information creates the appearance of independent thinking. But hidden forces of misinformation are so powerful that they cancel out the benefits of this abundance, shaping beliefs just as effectively as outright censorship.
Misunderstanding Freedom
In America, the ideal of freedom is weaponized to prevent people from questioning authority. “Freedom” is twisted into a slogan for uncritical loyalty: freedom to consume, freedom to own guns, freedom to reject science, freedom to believe whatever suits a political agenda. Those who question this distorted freedom are branded as enemies.
This distortion transforms freedom into a cage — a cage of unquestioned beliefs, blind loyalty, and enforced conformity.
What Next?
Indoctrination is a universal tool, wielded by all regimes seeking power, from Castro’s Cuba to Trump’s America. Recognizing it is the first step toward reclaiming true freedom — a freedom built on critical thinking, open dialogue, and the courage to question.
As someone who has experienced indoctrination firsthand, I urge Americans to look past the slogans, the division, and the demands for loyalty. Challenge your own beliefs. Seek truth beyond political soundbites. And remember, freedom is not obedience — freedom is the ability to think freely.
© Wilfredo Domínguez — May 2025