Cuba’s Fidel Castro Dies

Fidel Castro, Cuba’s former Dictator and leader of the Communist revolution, has died aged 90.

Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost 50 years before Raul took over in 2008.

Fidel Castro, Cuba’s former president and leader of the Communist revolution, has died aged 90, his brother Raul has announced.

Champagne popping in front of Versailles in Little Havana #FidelCastro #Cuba pic.twitter.com/23Ed8dnn9V

— Danny Rivero (@TooMuchMe) November 26, 2016

The Washington Examiner‘s Daniel Chaitin writes:

…The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro’s early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for “re-education.”

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro’s daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

This was the scene on the streets of Miami after Fidel Castro’s death was announced https://t.co/iEmf4bCiMC pic.twitter.com/H1iivfbkDF

— CNN (@CNN) November 26, 2016

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro’s speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body’s record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the island’s economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets…(read more)

MORE: Cuban-Americans in Miami react with cheers, song, and dance about Fidel Castro’s death. pic.twitter.com/gEUxzRmrpj

— Breaking Now! (@BreakingNowThis) November 26, 2016

“The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening,” President Raul Castro said.

Image of #FidelCastro shown on Cuban TV, via @LDeLION pic.twitter.com/ACFQC5HGdw

— David Beard (@dabeard) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost 50 years before Raul took over in 2008…(read more)

Source: BBC News