>To expect that if only things get bad enough, Cubans will rise up, when they are struggling just to stand, is not just unrealistic. It is cruel.

Glad that someone finally wrote this (and that NYT published it) https://twitter.com/nytopinion/status/1264295984483504130

I think that this section is only partially true though.

There's a crisis of legitimacy (as I've written about repeatedly) and D-C lacks the full loyalty that Fidel commanded, but there *definitely* continue to be tons of party supporters.

I do think, though, that the essential insight that specific ideological content for popular support for the Revolution is way less important than nationalism though.

That's what a lot of folks even on the online left don't get; it's nationalist first, communist second.

There's definitely Communists who are fully committed, for for popular people I talked to who support the gov it's a mix of social programs, reinvindication of national pride, Cuba's increased international status under the revolution, and similar factors.