During the 20th century, real-world communism (as opposed to the academic theory) always leaned on ye olde Russian imperialism, which, reincarnated under a new red flag, lent it the necessary muscle. Of course it was awkward to admit that the Communist bloc is actually an extension of the Russo-Soviet empire, so a lot of ink was spilt to recast the Russians/Soviets as liberators, bringers of peace and progress.
As of today, Russia is no longer even superficially left-wing in its state ideology, but the old personal and political ties to the far left in the rest of the world are still there. That is one of the reasons why "tankies" support the invasion of Ukraine and even cloak their support in the same "peace movement" jargon recycled straight from the Cold War era. That is also why countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are sympathetic to the Russian imperial project.
Another reason is shared anti-Americanism, of course. The US has a much worse record track in Latin America than in Europe, no wonder that systemic competitors try to exploit it.
> The US has a much worse record track in Latin America than in Europe, no wonder that systemic competitors try to exploit it.
I liked your explanation, but this part - I agree with you, thats the sentiment there - BUT it just doesnt make sense at all. Europe exploited much more the Latin America, than US did. US was actually one of the first countries that fought this exploitation.
And? Castro had a friendship on a former right wing minister from Franco's dictatorship in Spain, as they shared some of culture traits and heritage from an Atlantic region in Spain, Galicia.
Binding left and right populisms together wont make Russia left-leaned. Neither with do that with China.
so in your opinion its Left until it gets dirty, then its Right, and Left is something like Heaven, that people will never reach, but we should still try it over and over again? grow up.
These were Capitalists. A progressive capitalist, yes, but Right leaned economically. There's nothing Leftie on being a poshy Californian with the pockets full of bucks even if you don't give a shit on any religion or Conservativism.
The same way you can't call yourself a vegetarian when you eat a weekly BBQ in a Texan rancho.
That's where you are totally wrong. Mostly people that are communists, don't live under communist regimes. Never went to a communist country. They are mostly rich kids, that "read" Marx and thought they "got it". Funny part is that Marx himself was the same kind of person. Rich kid, never worked and thought that he understood the world enough to try to fix it..
In America, maybe. In Europe, the social-democracy it's a big spectrum.
There's the liberal left, the tankie left, the conservative left (which in the end it's 99% close to the Italian/Spanish Fascism), and the libertarian communism, also known as Anarchist comunes, but you need highly educated people there. No, not rich, just truly educated. In scientific and technological fields.
On Russia, today they're closer to fascism than to Socialism. No one it's Communist in the Putin/Dugin circle. No one. Just thugs, corporate mafias and a right wing nationalism with an homophobe discurse against the West, influenced by the Russian Orthodox church.
Not so different to the Evangelican Neocon from the USA. Switch the American flags on a Neocon for the Russian one, change a little bit its Christian branch and you'll get the Russian Ivan full of hate against Western progress since the 1789's revolution and Human Rights. It probably listens to the Orthodox Pope and he listens to the Russian equivalent of Fox News. Oh, they have their version of Alex Jones, too.
With the same conspiranoic crap.
As of today, Russia is no longer even superficially left-wing in its state ideology, but the old personal and political ties to the far left in the rest of the world are still there. That is one of the reasons why "tankies" support the invasion of Ukraine and even cloak their support in the same "peace movement" jargon recycled straight from the Cold War era. That is also why countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are sympathetic to the Russian imperial project.
Another reason is shared anti-Americanism, of course. The US has a much worse record track in Latin America than in Europe, no wonder that systemic competitors try to exploit it.