I think you have to look at the times back then when considering Soviet and US issues. It was like global crips vs bloods. If you wanted to exist, you had to have some sort of affiliation with one or the other. People forget that Ho Chi Minh, & Patrice Lumumba both came to the US for help before they sided with the Soviets. If the US was truly the defenders of freedom, they would've sided with Ho Chi Minh over the French in Indochinese matters. They did not, so Ho Chi Minh sought help from the Communists. Same with Lumumba. If the Americans didn't ride with King Leopold and the Belgians when Lumumba sought help, he would've never gone to the Communists for help.
Very similar situation with Cuba. America wanted to continue to pimp Cuba through selected dictators. If they were truly defenders of freedom and democracy, they would've sided with the revolution while trying to convince them to install a democracy. Of course they didn't do that because there was no financial gain to that. So with the US 90 miles off your shore, who do you side with?