Lillian Guerra, "Patriots and Traitors in Revolutionary Cuba, 1961-1981" (U Pittsburgh Press, 2023)

Lillian Guerra discusses her book, *Patriots and Traitors in Revolutionary Cuba, 1961 to 1981*, focusing on the concept of "citizen complicity" in maintaining the Communist Party's rule. Guerra argues that Cubans, even when resisting the state, often found themselves complicit due to the state's pervasive influence. The conversation explores how the literacy campaign was used to instill political ideology, demanding love for the revolution above familial bonds. Guerra also examines the psychological methods of inciting fear, such as the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, and the rehabilitation programs aimed at political prisoners to ensure they conformed to state narratives. The discussion further covers the "Red Years" of the 1970s, marked by both repression and the co-option of culture, and culminates in an analysis of the Mariel boatlift as a manifestation of the deep-seated tensions and performance of revolutionary ideals.