14ymedio, Karel J. Leyva, Montreal (Canada), 18 February 2024 — In the context of a totalitarian regime, an opportunist is that individual or group that seeks to benefit personally, socially, economically or politically by aligning themselves with the established system of power. They are characterized by prioritizing personal interests over ethical principles, showing remarkable flexibility in their loyalties, which they adapt according to what best serves their own advantages. The opportunists are distinguished by their indifference to the suffering of others and their total apathy to the negative implications of their support for the regime for society as a whole.
Throughout history, totalitarian regimes have repeatedly used opportunists. Citizens who denounce colleagues and neighbors, hoping to win the political favor of the regime; companies that collaborate enthusiastically with dictatorships taking advantage of the forced labor of concentration camps or prisons; members of the economic elites who do everything necessary to preserve their status; and a long etcetera. As these systems begin to show signs of weakness, opportunists show an amazing speed in changing sides, demonstrating the volatile nature of their ideologies.
This behavior not only reinforces the existing power structure but also perpetuates the division within Cuban society
The Cuban totalitarian regime is no exception. Here opportunism is manifested in an exemplary way in the attitude of government officials, members of the Armed Forces, businessmen, academics, artists and intellectuals, who receive privileges and recognition in exchange for their support or at least their silence, in the face of human rights violations, the repression of dissent and even forced exile. This behavior not only reinforces the existing power structure but also perpetuates the division within Cuban society, by contributing to the stability and legitimization of the regime through active or passive complicity.
Opportunists play a central role in the perpetuation of the misery of the Cuban people not only thanks to their macabre complicity but also to the extent that they contribute to projecting the illusion of “revolutionary” consensus. They call the dictatorship “revolutionary”; regression “progress”; helplessness “social justice; totalitarianism “democracy”; indoctrination “education”; exploitation “solidarity”; and the despotic whim of a tyrant “popular will”.
Such a mirage hinders the possibility of an organized opposition and weakens international pressure, presenting the world with a facade of stability and acceptance. The opportunists present themselves as the legitimate face of civil society while promoting a culture of conformism that directly undermines the consolidation of dissident voices. Their tolerance an