That is the argument Communist always use to explain away the failure of communism whether the former Soviet Union or Cuba etc.
Yeah but it's not communism to begin with, so it's not being "explained away". The confusion of communism, an economic form, with authoritarianism, a political form, is a false antagonism intended to distract, divide and confuse the working class.
I see you are defining communism to fit the point you need to make. Before we go on please define what Communism and what Socialism is