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Fidel Castro: world reacts to death of Cuban leader – live updates Fidel Castro: world reacts to death of Cuban leader – live updates
(35 minutes later)
10.49am GMT
10:49
The BBC’s world affairs editor, John Simpson, has tweeted:
Castro hugely glamorous, v attractive, romantic, but a monster to anyone who thought or acted differently - gays, Christians, liberals.
10.30am GMT
10:30
Castro's ashes to be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery
Sam Jones
The Cuban government announced on Saturday morning that Fidel Castro’s ashes will be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba on 4 December.
Cubans will be able to pay homage to Castro at the José Martí memorial in Havana on 28 and 29 of November. A mass rally will be held in the capital at 7pm on 29 November.
On the following day, Castro’s ashes will be begin their journey along the route that commemorates his victory in 1959.
On 4 December, at 7am, his ashes will be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, the resting place of 19th century Cuban independence hero José Martí and numerous other leading figures in the country’s torrid history.
10.29am GMT
10:29
Jacob Zuma thanks Castro for support in overthrowing apartheid
South African President Jacob Zuma has thanked Castro for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid.
“President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid,” Zuma said in a statement.
10.28am GMT
10:28
Francois Hollande says Castro was 'towering figure of 20th century'
French President Francois Hollande mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, while noting concerns over human rights under the Castro regime.
“Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments,” Hollande said.
“France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the US embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves,” the Socialist party leader added in a statement.
Hollande met Fidel Castro in May, 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution.
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10.21am GMT
10:21
Putin praises Castro as ‘symbol of an era’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Castro as the “symbol of an era,” the Kremlin has said.
“The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history,” Putin said in a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro cited by the Kremlin. “Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.”
Putin said that Castro has managed to build a “free and independent Cuba” that “became an influential member of the international community and served as an inspiration for many countries and peoples.”
He hailed Castro as a “strong and wise person who always looked to the future with confidence,” adding: “He embodied the high ideals of a politician, a citizen and a patriot sincerely convinced of the rightness of the cause to which he dedicated his whole life.
“His memory will forever remain in the hearts of the citizens of Russia.”
Putin also said that Castro had made a “huge personal contribution” in the establishment and development of the countries’ bilateral relations.
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10.19am GMT
10:19
Countless iconic photos of Castro are being shared on social media. Here he is with Che Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, and Malcolm X.
Fidel Castro bersama Che Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, dan Malcom X. pic.twitter.com/zHa3J107G9
10.15am GMT
10:15
A few years ago Sam Jones, the Guardian’s Madrid correspondent, interviewed Ciro Bustos, the man long blamed for betraying Che Guevara in Bolivia. The full interview can be read here, but the below segment reveals differences in manner between Castro and Guevara, the twin titans of the Cuban revolution.
Ciro Bustos was 26 and at his in-laws’ house for a barbecue one spring Sunday in 1958 when he first heard the voice. It belonged to a fellow Argentinian, a doctor four years his senior who was fighting alongside Fidel Castro in the mountains of south-eastern Cuba.
As he listened to the radio, the young artist was struck by the contrast between the grandiloquence of the Cuban and the quiet, almost apologetic tones of the Argentinian.
“The way Che spoke, the way he answered questions, was totally different from Castro,” says Ciro, whose recollection of the broadcast has not been blunted by the intervening half-century.
“There was no bombast, no prima donna attitude. It was like talking to your brother, so normal and so calm. That was what moved me so much.”
9.54am GMT9.54am GMT
09:5409:54
Vladimir Putin has reportedly praised Castro as the “symbol of an era”.Vladimir Putin has reportedly praised Castro as the “symbol of an era”.
#BREAKING Russia president Putin praises late Cuba leader Fidel Castro as 'symbol of an era'#BREAKING Russia president Putin praises late Cuba leader Fidel Castro as 'symbol of an era'
Vladimir #Putin praises #Castro as a 'symbol of an era', #Kremlin sources say - AFPVladimir #Putin praises #Castro as a 'symbol of an era', #Kremlin sources say - AFP
9.52am GMT9.52am GMT
09:5209:52
The government of El Salvador has expressed “eternal gratitude” to Castro and the Cuban people for help “in the most difficult times”.The government of El Salvador has expressed “eternal gratitude” to Castro and the Cuban people for help “in the most difficult times”.
A statement said Castro’s “example will live forever in our struggles and will flower in the noble ideas of new generations.”A statement said Castro’s “example will live forever in our struggles and will flower in the noble ideas of new generations.”
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9.49am GMT9.49am GMT
09:4909:49
Hage Geingob, the president of Namibia, has tweeted:Hage Geingob, the president of Namibia, has tweeted:
The death of #Fidel signals the end of an era. Our comrade is no more but his revolutionary legacy will remain with Namibia forever. pic.twitter.com/VX6v4AjQbwThe death of #Fidel signals the end of an era. Our comrade is no more but his revolutionary legacy will remain with Namibia forever. pic.twitter.com/VX6v4AjQbw
9.46am GMT9.46am GMT
09:4609:46
Jonathan WattsJonathan Watts
Newspapers, TV stations and websites in every country will be dominated by the death and its implications over the coming days. Among the key questions:Newspapers, TV stations and websites in every country will be dominated by the death and its implications over the coming days. Among the key questions:
Where will he be buried? Possibly the cemetery in Santiago de Cuba. I visited earlier this year and saw workers renovating the area and access roads. But the resting place has not been confirmed. A guide at Birán - Fidel’s birthplace - claimed he wanted to be buried there.Where will he be buried? Possibly the cemetery in Santiago de Cuba. I visited earlier this year and saw workers renovating the area and access roads. But the resting place has not been confirmed. A guide at Birán - Fidel’s birthplace - claimed he wanted to be buried there.
What will be the political impact? Diplomats in Havana do not expect a huge change in the short term, but the death will underscore the need for the revolutionary generation to move on and could embolden democracy activists.What will be the political impact? Diplomats in Havana do not expect a huge change in the short term, but the death will underscore the need for the revolutionary generation to move on and could embolden democracy activists.
What next for the Castro family? Raúl Castro has said he will hand over power at the end of his current term, but the ruling family have many other powerful positions in government and business that they will no doubt like to hang on to.What next for the Castro family? Raúl Castro has said he will hand over power at the end of his current term, but the ruling family have many other powerful positions in government and business that they will no doubt like to hang on to.
How will this affect Cuba’s relations with the US? Very little. Fidel Castro was already diplomatically sidelined and unhappy about Cuba’s warmer ties with Washington. The election of Donald Trump will be a much bigger factor in determining whether those links continue to improve.How will this affect Cuba’s relations with the US? Very little. Fidel Castro was already diplomatically sidelined and unhappy about Cuba’s warmer ties with Washington. The election of Donald Trump will be a much bigger factor in determining whether those links continue to improve.
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9.40am GMT9.40am GMT
09:4009:40
Jonathan WattsJonathan Watts
Most of Latin America is still asleep, but as people wake to the news of Fidel Castro’s death there will undoubtedly be a sense of an era passing not just for Cuba but for the entire region.Most of Latin America is still asleep, but as people wake to the news of Fidel Castro’s death there will undoubtedly be a sense of an era passing not just for Cuba but for the entire region.
For some, particularly on the left, there will be shock, albeit tempered by the fact that Castro was long retired and publicly said his goodbyes earlier this year. Others - on the right and among the exile community in Miami - have been hoping for this day for decades, but may still feel the loss of a figure who dominated much of their political lives.For some, particularly on the left, there will be shock, albeit tempered by the fact that Castro was long retired and publicly said his goodbyes earlier this year. Others - on the right and among the exile community in Miami - have been hoping for this day for decades, but may still feel the loss of a figure who dominated much of their political lives.
Castro’s influence in Latin America was enormous, though it has waned, particularly in the last year as Brazil and Argentina have shifted towards the right. The last of the major guerrilla movements he inspired - Colombia’s Farc - recently signed a peace deal. Even in Cuba, his anti-imperial revolution has been watered down by his brother Raúl’s economic reforms and rapprochement with the United States.Castro’s influence in Latin America was enormous, though it has waned, particularly in the last year as Brazil and Argentina have shifted towards the right. The last of the major guerrilla movements he inspired - Colombia’s Farc - recently signed a peace deal. Even in Cuba, his anti-imperial revolution has been watered down by his brother Raúl’s economic reforms and rapprochement with the United States.
Nonetheless, mourning is likely to be declared by leaders such as Evo Morales in Bolivia, Nicolas Maduro in Nicaragua and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua who were inspired or helped by Castro.Nonetheless, mourning is likely to be declared by leaders such as Evo Morales in Bolivia, Nicolas Maduro in Nicaragua and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua who were inspired or helped by Castro.
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9.34am GMT
09:34
There has not yet been any reaction to Castro’s death from the White House. The US, in particular the CIA, reportedly considered or launched more than 600 assassination attempts on Castro over decades, including using poison pills, toxic cigars and exploding molluscs. His eventual death was long considered by the US to be the “biological solution” to communism in the Caribbean country.
But in December 2014, Obama and Raúl Castro announced an extraordinary rapprochement in US-Cuban relations, promising to restore diplomatic ties and bring the two nations into a more congenial relationship. An end to the US’s 58-year embargo of Cuba, however, is dependent on Congress, where many remain opposed to normalising relations with Havana as long as any Castro is in power.
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9.29am GMT
09:29
Gorbachev hails Castro for ‘strengthening’ Cuba
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has hailed Castro for “strengthening” his island nation. Interfax news agency quoted Gorbachev as saying:
Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development.
In the past years, even when Fidel Castro was not formally in power, his role in strengthening the country was huge.
Gorbachev added that Castro would be remembered as a “prominent politician” who managed to leave a “deep mark in the history of mankind.”
The Kremlin has not yet reacted to Castro’s death.
9.20am GMT
09:20
Former Labour trade minister Brian Wilson said Castro had sent out a “beacon of hope” to Latin America.
He educated his people and he gave them healthcare they had never had before, and you can admire all of that without being an uncritical supporter, believe me, but do not lose the bigger picture - that Fidel Castro, for his region and for oppressed people throughout the world, sent out a message of hope.
Wilson led efforts to normalise trade links with Cuba and shared an Old Havana whisky with the president at one meeting. “He proposed a toast to Tony Blair and the third way, I proposed a toast to peace and socialism,” he told the Today programme.
9.15am GMT
09:15
Ken Livingstone calls Castro 'absolute giant of 20th century'
Former London mayor Ken Livingstone has said Castro was an “absolute giant of the 20th century” and blamed the US for the restrictions on civil liberties under his leadership. Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Livingstone said:
I’m sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional west European democracy. It could have happened a lot earlier if you hadn’t had, the entire time, a blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents.
Livingstone said Cuba could reform now it was not under threat of American invasion “even if Trump goes a little bit bonkers”. He added:
Of course Fidel did things that were wrong... Initially he wasn’t very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.
He was not living as a billionaire laundering money off into a Panamanian bank account or anything like that, he was good for the people.
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9.11am GMT
09:11
Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants, the Associated Press reports.
Cubans fled to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista while others left with the hope they would be able to return after Castro was toppled. But he never was.
Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the US by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.
The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.
On New Year’s Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: “Next year in Cuba.” But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households.
So news of Castro’s death has long been anticipated by exiles in Miami.
9.02am GMT
09:02
Meanwhile, celebrations abound in Miami’s Little Havana, where the largest diaspora of Cuban exiles live. It is currently 4am in Florida.
Cubans march down Calle Ocho in Little Havana in Miami celebrating Fidel Castro's death (raining & almost 2am but that won't stop the party) pic.twitter.com/LxvWAuxGsO
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at 9.19am GMT
8.58am GMT
08:58
Mandela Foundation sends its condolences to Cuba
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has sent its condolences to the people and government of Cuba. Remember, Mandela said the Cuban revolution was “a source of inspiration for all those who value freedom”. “We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist and orchestrated campaign to destroy the awesome force of the Cuban revolution,” he said. “Long live the Cuban Revolution! Long live comrade Fidel Castro!”
#NelsonMandela Foundation sends deepest condolences to the people & government of Cuba on passing of Fidel Castro https://t.co/5R3ySxl3MA pic.twitter.com/YeLt2zaw7f
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8.51am GMT
08:51
Spanish government express condolences
The Spanish government has just expressed its condolences to Cuba, writes Sam Jones in Madrid.
In a measured statement released this morning, the foreign ministry said:
A figure of great historic importance has gone, a man who brought about a turning point in the country’s evolution and whose great influence was felt across the region. As the son of Spanish parents, former President Castro always maintained strong links with Spain and was bound by ties of blood and culture.
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at 9.33am GMT
8.50am GMT
08:50
“I first met Fidel Castro when I secured the right to export Cuban cigars to Asia,” David Tang wrote in the Guardian earlier this month. “It was around 1992. We were driven to meet him in one of his homes, as he was very supportive of the Cuban cigar industry. It was a sort of bunker on the outskirts of Havana. We went downstairs into a basement that looked out on to a lowered garden, which was very beautiful.
“I arrived for dinner at around 7pm, and he was there with two interpreters, standing beside him, one at each shoulder. They would translate as we spoke – there had to be two; he talked so much that one on his own would get very tired. We stayed standing up and talking for more than two hours, by which time the two interpreters were absolutely exhausted, so two new ones were brought in. I was amazed that anybody could talk so much.
“He was utterly charming, but quite intimidating, with his enormous stature, military uniform and impressive beard. His speech was a bit rambling and he would gesticulate a lot with his hands, but he was never boring – in fact, he had me spellbound.”
Click below to read the full piece.
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8.39am GMT
08:39
The Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sánchez has tweeted: “Only a few hours left until the first dawn of my life without Fidel Castro.”
#Cuba Faltan varias horas para el primer amanecer sin Fidel Castro que he vivido en mi vida... pic.twitter.com/AM7nXiWFBc