Third and perhaps most striking is Márquez Duany’s attitude toward the president, whose policies pose a direct threat to his safety. Like the vast majority of Cubans living in the U.S., he fully supports Trump.

“If I could vote, I would have voted for Trump,” he says. “He’s the strongest president when it comes to Cuba.”

Márquez Duany’s journey from resistance icon to deportation case began in February 2021, when he and other artists released “Patria y Vida.” The song, featuring rappers and musicians both on and off the island, denounced repression in Cuba and called for change. Two of its creators, Maykel Osorbo and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, are currently in prison in Cuba for their participation in the project and other protests. Meanwhile, the song’s banned status on the island only amplified its power: It became the de facto anthem of the unprecedented protests during the summer of 2021.

By then, Márquez Duany had already been under house arrest for months, kept from participating in the demonstrations by guards posted outside his home. When the Latin Grammy Awards sent him an invitation a few months later, Márquez Duany knew it was likely his only chance to escape. As is customary, a Cuban government official escorted him to the airport.

“What we want is for you to leave,” he says the official told him. “Go, but don’t come back because you’re not welcome here.”