Fidel Castro died today at the age of 90. Throughout his life, he has been viewed as a everything from a revolutionary political figure, haralded for his will and strength to refuse to give into America’s demands, to a brutish tyrant, echoing the ghost of Joseph Stalin. Steeped in controversy, Castro’s image evokes strong emotions on both sides.
There are those who are inspired by Castro’s role in the Cuban Revolution, where he, alongside his brother and Che Guevera, a national icon, led the charge against the dictator Fulgencio Batista. The extreme corruption, alongside the suspension of their Cuban Constitution, which ironically Batista himself had enacted years earlier, led the people to yearn for change. And thus, out of suppression and socioeconomic hardship, the Revolution was born. It dramatically reshaped the global standing of Cuba, and Castro seemed impenetrable, suviving countless US assassination attempts, with some of them even receiving the backing of the CIA. He was seen and still is viewed as the “hero of the people” for many.
On the other hand, Castro is the reason why thousands of Cuban families emigrated to the US, with a large proportion of them settling in places such as Miami, Florida. On hearing the news, it was reported that people celebrated his death, opening up bottles of wine and taking to the streets. These were people who were jailed for political reasons, had lost years off of their lives before they were able to move to somewhere they would not be persecuted. These were people who had lost their loved ones to brutal murders and assassinations, all to keep the dissenters quiet and to protect the “peace.” Many found nothing but more oppression under the Castro Presidency.
Even political figures have demonstrated this clear split in opinion. The Prime Minster of Canada, Justin Trudeau, called Castro a “remarkable leader,” whereas the President-Elect, Donald Trump, felt that he was a “brutal dictator.”
Regardless of your views on Castro, it is clear that he was a force to be reckoned with, a storm that reshaped Cuba and its legacy. His impact, for better or worse, will still resonate throughout the world. [Source: Britannica]
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