In the mid-20th century, many capitalists thought that homosexuality was a socialist thing and many socialists thought that homosexuality was a capitalist thing. That line of thinking was not a Latin characteristic, as you could hear the same rhetoric just about anywhere, perhaps except Japan, where none of the religions of the book had ever caught on big-time.
In addition, the Cuban socialist government targeted prostitutes as well as homosexuals for re-education. Socialists in the past just about everywhere were quite as moralistic as capitalists, and many of them still are, when it comes to prostitution, though homophobia has waned on both the capitalist and socialist sides, relatively speaking.
Since the decriminalization of homosexuality, the Cuban government has made efforts to correct homophobia, societal as well as governmental: see <http://www.cenesex.sld.cu/webs/diversidad/diversidad.htm>. Ironically as it may seem to some, it also opened up toward religion, just as it opened up toward sexual diversity.
Today, as the Cuban government has adjusted itself to capitalism, in need of foreign exchange that tourism brings, casual prostitution, both male and female, has also made a comeback. Unlike religion and homosexuality, prostitution is still controversial -- understandably so. Cf. G. Derrick Hodge, "Colonization of the Cuban Body: The Growth of Male Sex Work in Havana," NACLA Report on the Americas 34.5, March 2001, <http://www.csupomona.edu/~cubaprogram/Colonization%20of%20the%20Cuban%20Body_files/Colonization%20of%20the%20Cuban%20Body.htm>; and Nehanda Abiodun, "Havana's Jineteras," NACLA Report on the Americas 34.5, March 2001, <http://www.csupomona.edu/~cubaprogram/Havana's%20Jineteras_files/Havana's%20Jineteras.htm>. -- Yoshie <http://montages.blogspot.com/> <http://mrzine.org> <http://monthlyreview.org/>