Cuban Woman Challenges Regime Supporters: "I Was Once Ignorant Like You, But Now My Mind is Clear"

A Cuban woman named Sory shared a video in the Facebook group "Lista Represores de Cuba," delivering a stern response to a regime supporter who had previously asked her, "And who are you?"

In her reply, Sory described her former self: "I was an ignorant Cuban like you. Ignorant, communist, never questioning anything," she declared firmly on camera.

Currently residing in Barcelona, according to her social media, Sory recounted her involvement within Cuba's political system: "I was part of the UJC, PSC, a recommended pioneer, all that stuff. Okay? And I never questioned anything. Ignorant, just like you are now."

The contrast between her past and present is central to her message: "Now, I am someone who thinks, analyzes, questions, and, thank God, has cleansed my mind of all that filth they filled my head with since childhood."

Public Reaction to Sory's Testimony

The video drew mostly positive reactions, with many users applauding her for publicly acknowledging her past sympathies with the system and her change of heart. Comments like "to err is human, to correct is wise," "the important thing is to have opened your eyes," and "it's never too late" highlighted the supportive tone. Several people agreed that indoctrination affected entire generations: "an entire nation was deceived and indoctrinated" and "we were all victims of the Castro-communist ideology."

Many users identified with her experience as shared by countless Cubans both on and off the island. "That's how almost all of us were," one user wrote, while another asserted, "I was ignorant too until I opened my eyes." Supportive messages like "well said," "excellent response," "bravo," and "brave woman" were common, along with phrases like "now you are free," "welcome to the free world," and "I send you a kiss for waking up."

Debate Over Past Involvement and Personal Responsibility

Some insisted that while a change in mindset does not erase the past, it is valid if accompanied by sincere rectification. "That was her experience," one commenter noted, while another added, "it's valid to correct." Nevertheless, there were criticisms from those who reproached her for having been part of official structures or questioned the authenticity of her change: "you've done a lot of harm," "you're still ignorant," or "you were a wolf in sheep's clothing," some wrote.

Despite some negative feedback, the majority supported Sory, using her story as an example of the awakening that many claim to have experienced. Among praise, criticism, and reproach for her past, the recurring message was clear: it's never too late to break free from indoctrination and demand freedom for Cuba. The discussion highlighted a common tension among Cubans: the divide between those who view many as victims of indoctrination and those who believe that supporting the regime entails a personal responsibility that's hard to erase.

The Impact of Ideological Indoctrination

Sory’s testimony provides a personal insight into the ideological indoctrination system employed by the Cuban regime from childhood through the Organization of Pioneers José Martí (OPJM), founded in 1961 with the motto "Pioneers for Communism, We Will Be Like Che."

In March, children from schools in Habana Vieja staged anti-imperialist tribunals against the United States during acts commemorating the 65th anniversary of the OPJM and 64th of the UJC, presided over by the top leaders of both organizations.

Sory's video is part of a growing trend among Cubans who, after emigrating or gaining access to independent information, undergo a process of ideological detachment from the system they were indoctrinated into as children.

She concluded her message with a direct challenge to her interlocutor: "Question yourself, question and start asking things so you stop being so ignorant and stupid."