In pre-Castro Cuba it was los bonchistas, bunches of loosely organized trouble makers who would often take either side in public demonstrations in order to provoke conflict between ideological opponents. They not only opposed their ideological opposites, they also hoped to discredit the moderates on their side. Regardless of their personal political views, their primary loyalty was to their own prestige and participation in the chaotic campus political process.

Maybe its a Latin thing, but I didn't notice this sort of political taxonomy during my time in the US student political troubles of the 1960s. We always knew which side everybody was on, whether town or gown, hardhat or hippie, redneck or revolutionary. Maybe this new century is different.

Bonche is a corruption of the English "Bunch". There where bonches on both sides of every political debate, particularly at the University of Havana, but they were able to cross over to the other side when it helped their cause, or to embarrass that of their opponents. Their major goal was not to bring victory to their faction, but to just keep the unrest escalating. They feared peace more than they did defeat. Fidel Castro was a well-known bonchista during his student days. Although he never publicly declared himself a socialist (until AFTER he rose to power) those who knew him personally were aware of his left-leaning views. I had an uncle who knew him.