An opinion piece in Havana Times questions an image of Cuban youths wearing red MCGA caps, akin to Trump's MAGA, noting its perceived artificiality and parallels to the current regime. Author Miguel Coyula supports freedom of expression but distances himself from the movement. The Cuban government has banned demonstrations supporting Trump.
In an article published on February 11, 2026, in Havana Times, Miguel Coyula recounts a Democratic US friend's reaction to a photo of Cuban youths in red MCGA (Make Cuba Great Again) caps: “It looks like Artificial Intelligence.” Coyula felt deep strangeness, initially suspecting a collage or regime-created AI to discredit internal opposition.
After nearly 70 years of dictatorship, these youths reference a symbol tied to Donald Trump's authoritarian government, described as a convicted president who backed the Gaza genocide and freed Capitol rioters responsible for deaths including officer Brian Sicknick. ICE under Trump deported over three million immigrants, including Cubans, amid expansionist aims in Venezuela, Cuba, and Greenland.
Coyula draws parallels between Trump and Fidel Castro in sociopathic traits and megalomania, both promoting abstract ideals: humanism for Castro, materialism for Trump. He critiques Trump's anti-intellectualism, influenced by Ayn Rand, and Castro's expansions in Africa.
The MCGA movement, an offshoot of MAGA, appears inauthentic, driven by naivety or emptiness amid the current dictatorship. Coyula hears justifications like “I don’t care, I just want the dictatorship to end,” but cautions against eroding critical thinking. The Cuban government has imposed sanctions banning Trump support displays, potentially backfiring due to its unpopularity.
Coyula endorses the youths' freedom of expression, sharing their goal of ending the regime, but states they do not represent him. He recalls historical abuses and his great-grandfather's role in the 1939 constituent assembly.
