Cultural Marxism and the role of Cuba in its expansion

Frank Zimmerman for Poder & Dinero and FinGurú

Cultural Marxism, a concept that some consider conspiratorial, is, in fact, a palpable reality that has adapted classical Marxism to social and cultural institutions. This trend has been gaining more and more ground in the West in recent decades. To understand it and its impact on the Western Hemisphere, it is essential to examine the role of Cuba in its propagation, as highlighted by authors such as Néstor Carbonell in Why Cuba Matters, J. Michael Waller in Big Intel, and Mike González in NextGen Marxism. In these works, these three experts address the topic from different perspectives, agreeing that the Cuban regime has been crucial for the diffusion of its model in Latin America and the United States, using strategies that include espionage and cultural infiltration.

The efforts of communist subversion in the West have more than a century of history. Beginning with the Cheka, the embryo of the Soviet KGB, founded by Félix Dzerzhinski, it early incorporated the objective of weakening capitalist societies from within, infiltrating their cultural and educational institutions. Willy Münzenberg, a German communist and propaganda genius, soon stands out, playing a crucial role in creating a global cultural front where intellectuals and artists defended Marxist ideals in the West. This “cultural battle” laid the groundwork for the strategies that Cuba would later implement.

With the triumph of the “legendary” Cuban revolution in 1959, from the very beginning, Fidel Castro consolidates an alliance with the Soviet Union, transforming Cuba into a base for the export of Marxism in the Western Hemisphere. As noted by Waller in Big Intel, Cuba's Dirección General de Inteligencia (DGI), modeled after the Soviet KGB, was fundamental for the expansion of communism, supporting revolutionary movements across Latin America and even in the United States.

From the early years of the Castro regime, Juan Bautista (Tata) Yofre recounts in his masterful book Fue Cuba, Cuba trains and exports guerrilla movements, led by figures such as Ernesto “Che” Guevara, promoting armed revolutions in Africa and Latin America. However, repeated failures led Cuba to change its approach. Inspired by Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci, Cuban leaders opted for a strategy of cultural subversion. Gramsci argued that the true conquest of power was not achieved solely by force but also through control of cultural institutions, such as education, the media, and religion, which would guarantee ideological hegemony.

Cuba masterfully adopts this strategy, sending ideological emissaries under the pretext of cultural and educational exchanges. An early example of this was the Venceremos Brigade and the Maceítos, a group of young Americans traveling to Cuba from the 60s and 70s to support the revolution. Upon returning to the United States, these young people actively promoted Cuban ideology in their communities, contributing to the spread of Marxism in the country.

More recently, Cuban medical brigades have become one of the main vehicles of ideological influence for the Cuban regime. In reality, these brigades are a significant source of revenue for the government, which many human rights organizations label as examples of “modern slavery”. Although they present themselves as humanitarian missions, they serve a political function by spreading Cuban Marxist ideals in the countries where they operate. María Werlau of the NGO Archivo Cuba highlights in her research how this “medical diplomacy,” among other objectives, seeks to consolidate Cuban influence in local politics.

In countries like Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, to name just a few, these Cuban medical and educational brigades have been fundamental to the development of socialist governments shaped under the influence of Havana. Cuban doctors, in many cases with questionable credentials and experience, not only provide healthcare but also act as ideological emissaries, extending the influence of the Cuban regime discreetly yet effectively.

The strategic shift of Cuba from exporting armed guerrillas to sending “ideological soldiers” has been highly successful in the long term. As María Werlau notes in La intervención de Cuba en Venezuela: Una ocupación estratégica con implicaciones globales, just like controlling the narrative in classrooms, the media, and cultural spaces, where this tool has proven to be much more powerful than the failed attempts to create guerrilla hotspots in the region.

Cuban tactics have left a profound footprint both in Latin America and the United States. In Latin America, countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua, Colombia, and many more continue to be influenced by leaders trained by the Cuban regime, who have adopted socialism and Marxism as government models. In the United States, cultural Marxism has taken root in academic institutions and social movements, generating debates that reflect the growing influence of Marxist ideology in culture and politics.

A clear example of Cuban interference in the United States is the case of Ana Belén Montes, a U.S. defense analyst who spied for Cuba for over 16 years. She was arrested in 2001 and accused of providing classified information to the Cuban dictatorship, demonstrating the extent of Cuban infiltration in U.S. institutions. Even more recently, last December 2023, ambassador Manuel Rocha, a U.S. diplomat, was arrested for collaborating with Cuban agents for over four decades, illustrating the sophistication and relevance of Cuban espionage in the United States.

Understanding the roots of cultural Marxism and the role of Cuba in its expansion is essential for analyzing current political dynamics. Through espionage, cultural diplomacy, and ideological subversion, Cuba has played a key role in the diffusion of Marxism in the Western Hemisphere. Recognizing these historical precedents is fundamental to understanding the ideological battles that continue to be fought today in Latin America and the United States. For this reason, “Cuba Matters” and we must not ignore its role to be able to combat it adequately.

Frank Zimmerman is a multidisciplinary communications, marketing, production, and advertising executive with three decades of experience in the U.S. television market. Creating and designing market solutions and helping companies grow their businesses and develop domestic and international markets. Experience includes branding, production, content creation, multiplatform advertising, and production/direction of commercials, independent films, and online content creation/production.

Currently employed by the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom at FIU as a senior strategic advisor/multimedia producer. Board member of the Liberty Plus Foundation.

Notable roles

Senior Strategic Advisor/Multimedia Producer
Florida International University
Executive Producer
Contracorriente Online - Regional Weekly News Program
Feb 2022 - Present 2 years 9 months
United States/Argentina 
Director
Libertad+/Federalismo y Libertad Foundation
September 2020 - Present 4 years 2 months
Buenos Aires, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Strategic Communications Advisor
Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom at Florida International University
September 2022 - February 2024 1 year 6 months
Miami, Florida, United States
Account Manager
NBC Universal: Telemundo Owned and Operated TV Stations
Jan 2019 - Sept 2020 1 year 9 months
New York City Metropolitan Area
Creating and designing market solutions using the company’s multiple platforms. Developing and executing unique and successful local opportunities for any of the 11 stations owned and operated by NBC Uni/Telemundo. Positioning NBC Uni/Telemundo Station Group as the preferred partner to reach the Hispanic market in the United States. Experience working with General Market agencies directed at Hispanics. Strong creative background with experience in photography, writing, and production.
Senior Account Manager
Spanish Broadcasting System
February 2001 - July 2004 3 years 6 months
New York City Metropolitan Area
Telemundo Media Graphic, a division of NBCUniversal
Account Manager
Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal
July 1998 - 2000 2 years 2 months
Telemundo New York