While there are doubtless supporters of the Communist military dictatorship in Cuba, its also a fact that many of the crowds that show up waving banners, shouting Viva Fidel, are forced to participate. Ive spoken to friends in Cuba from Havana and elsewhere. And when the call comes, offices shut down, classes are terminated, everyone has to make signs,and show up. They get a warm coke and a sandwich if they are lucky.But if they dont show up...it can hurt your chances of admission to higher education, your chance to get a job promotion, problems with your rations, a visit from the police, and so on. 

And anyone who asks these protestors how they feel...what do you think they are going to say? In a country where there is no free speech, no writ of habeaus corpus, you can be thrown in jail for anything,...well...does one expect anyone interviewed to say anything but the appropriate phrases.

If  Cuban Communists are so popular, why not allow people a free vote in a competitive election?