The Gusano Phenomenon
Gusanos: Who are they?
What does gusano mean?
The term 'gusano', meaning 'worm', was first used by Fidel Castro. He used it to refer to Cubans who fled the country after he overthrew Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship. The term eventually became widely known, remaining in use to this day. Honestly? It's very relevant, maybe now more than ever. Does it reflect their nature? Yes. Why? Because worms are crawlers, often depicted as people who betray someone they were once close to, or an idea that exists for their benefit. And this is what gusanos did: they left their beautiful island behind, because Fidel came, and the rules changed. The majority of Cubans adapted to the new system easily. But the gusanos? They didn't. They were used to their slaves, their acres of lands, their casinos and the wealth that came for exploiting resources and the people who weren't fortunate enough. They were the typical textbook depiction of a capitalist: living like a monarch, not doing anything, and when their beloved system was overthrown, telling them they had to work – God forbid – they're suddenly angry. But were they angry when they bought people?
Where is their hotspot?
Gusanos are mainly found in Miami, due to geographical advantages. When I visited Miami a few years ago, my friend told me that if I started swimming and survived sharks and storms, I'd end up on the shores of Havana or Matanzas. This really made me think and let me be honest, it even scared me in a positive sense. Am I really this close to Cuba? I was very excited and spent the majority of my time thinking about it. "One day", I promised to myself. According to polls from 2020, the Cuban (gusano) population in Miami is very close to 30% – 29,3% to be exact.
Why do gusanos vote republican?
First of all, they claim to do so because "Castro stole the dreams of generations". Well, that's simply not true. Fidel gave a chance to everyone, and the rich didn't like that, because it happened at their expense. Such a bad, evil thing to do: taking wealth from the rich and giving it to the poor. Fidel wanted equality. To some people, this was unfathomable. It's really not, you just need to have basic empathy. To the average gusano, politics is about 'survival'. They say that the trauma of a socialist revolution stripped them of property, liberty and their homeland. This is why many of them see any hint of left-leaning policies as inherently evil. And while we know that the Republican and Democratic parties in the US are the two sides of the same coin, gusanos think that the Democrats are communists. Sounds ridiculous, right? Meanwhile, Republican values are fiercely anti-communist. Trump holds a strong rhetoric that Democrats would turn the US into a "communist dictatorship" to scare Latino communities (especially Cuban and Venezuelan) and secure their votes. For older gusanos who have 'lived' the revolution, they are scared that it will happen again and want to do everything to prevent it. It's honestly fascinating how petrified they are of social and economic equality. Let's not also forget about the "betrayal" which is the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961. The operation, which was launched by Cuban exiles and more importantly, was backed by the CIA, was practically abandoned by JFK in the end. This is a wound that gusanos will probably never get over. Later, when President Carter, President Clinton and President Obama pursued a more rational approach to Cuba, they were criticized by gusanos, because they viewed it as 'bowing down to communism'. I can divide gusanos into three different generations:
● FIRST-GEN GUSANOS: The very ones who came to the US right after the revolution. They mainly speak Spanish, and I'd give them the most authenticity, because despite everything, they're the ones who remember Cuba's golden age, even though they don't see it as such.
● SECOND-GEN GUSANOS: These are the children of the first-gen gusanos. They know Spanish, maybe it's their native language too, but they predominantly use English. About 90% of them were already born in Miami. They grew up as American with Cuban heritage, integrating with white Americans. They remember Reagan's America with its strong anti-leftist rhetoric and think it was the best era that ever was. They dream of returning to a 'free' Cuba, if not for themselves, then for their parents and grandparents. They're probably the loudest Republicans in the entire state of Florida.
● NEW WAVE GUSANOS: The grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren. If they speak Spanish at all, it's surely with an American accent. They grew up in a household that praised Reagan and Trump, yet condemned Castro and any kind of leftist views. They're the most brainwashed ones, repeating what their parents and grandparents planted in their heads.
In conclusion, gusanos are the so-called traitors. They refused to comply with the change of their comfortable system, and have been playing the victim ever since. Will it change? Probably not. Is it infuriating and annoying? Yes.
-G.
