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| In Havana, Castro’s Death Lays Bare a Generation Gap | In Havana, Castro’s Death Lays Bare a Generation Gap |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| HAVANA — The nightclubs shut down early and the young people, dressed for a night out, spilled into the darkened streets. | HAVANA — The nightclubs shut down early and the young people, dressed for a night out, spilled into the darkened streets. |
| Some had already been told the news, called by loved ones watching state television at home. Some were just finding out, their cellphones pressed to their ears as they absorbed what happened. | Some had already been told the news, called by loved ones watching state television at home. Some were just finding out, their cellphones pressed to their ears as they absorbed what happened. |
| Others still did not know — Fidel Castro had died. | Others still did not know — Fidel Castro had died. |
| Outside the Salon Rojo, one of Havana’s most popular nightspots, where the reggaeton usually blares into the early-morning hours, the music stopped abruptly. The crowd poured out, the police waving along women in miniskirts and men with gelled mohawks, a popular style in Cuba. | Outside the Salon Rojo, one of Havana’s most popular nightspots, where the reggaeton usually blares into the early-morning hours, the music stopped abruptly. The crowd poured out, the police waving along women in miniskirts and men with gelled mohawks, a popular style in Cuba. |
| No one was weeping. No one was chanting. Some said the country would be better off, freer now, though they said it quietly, wary that someone might overhear such hopes. A hearse, repurposed as a taxi, happened to drive by. | No one was weeping. No one was chanting. Some said the country would be better off, freer now, though they said it quietly, wary that someone might overhear such hopes. A hearse, repurposed as a taxi, happened to drive by. |
| “Take him with you,” one of the young men shouted with a smile as a friend cheered him on. The young women with them looked embarrassed, but not angry. | “Take him with you,” one of the young men shouted with a smile as a friend cheered him on. The young women with them looked embarrassed, but not angry. |
| A few feet away from one crowd of partygoers, three neighbors, each in their 50s and consoling one another, stood in their apartment building’s doorway facing the iconic Hotel Nacional. | A few feet away from one crowd of partygoers, three neighbors, each in their 50s and consoling one another, stood in their apartment building’s doorway facing the iconic Hotel Nacional. |
| Concepcion Garcia, 55, looked at the young people around her with disappointment. | Concepcion Garcia, 55, looked at the young people around her with disappointment. |
| “What a rich experience we have had, to live the two periods of Cuba — capitalism and socialism,” she said. “Imagine how we Cubans feel. The most precious thing we have just died.” | “What a rich experience we have had, to live the two periods of Cuba — capitalism and socialism,” she said. “Imagine how we Cubans feel. The most precious thing we have just died.” |
| She removed her glasses and pointed at her eyes. | She removed her glasses and pointed at her eyes. |
| “I have the revolution and Fidel to thank for this cataract surgery,” she said, adding that she would not have been able to afford the procedure without Cuba’s socialized medical care. It did not cost her a cent, she said. | “I have the revolution and Fidel to thank for this cataract surgery,” she said, adding that she would not have been able to afford the procedure without Cuba’s socialized medical care. It did not cost her a cent, she said. |
| “He put Cuba on the map,” Ms. Garcia added, “and the world has recognized that.” | “He put Cuba on the map,” Ms. Garcia added, “and the world has recognized that.” |
| Her neighbor Josue Carmon Arramo, 57, chimed in: “His life may be over, but his work will live on.” | Her neighbor Josue Carmon Arramo, 57, chimed in: “His life may be over, but his work will live on.” |
| “This story will not die, because we are followers of his ideas of nationalism and solidarity of the Cuban people,” he said. “That’s who we are.” | “This story will not die, because we are followers of his ideas of nationalism and solidarity of the Cuban people,” he said. “That’s who we are.” |
| The enormous disparity in the reactions of the young clubgoers and the middled-aged neighbors is not a surprise, said Elaine Díaz, an independent blogger in Cuba. | The enormous disparity in the reactions of the young clubgoers and the middled-aged neighbors is not a surprise, said Elaine Díaz, an independent blogger in Cuba. |
| Mr. Castro molded the country and governed it for so long that many older Cubans can hardly think of the nation apart from his legacy. But Mr. Castro has been out of the national spotlight for so long that many young Cubans have had little exposure to him, and do not seem to identify with him. | Mr. Castro molded the country and governed it for so long that many older Cubans can hardly think of the nation apart from his legacy. But Mr. Castro has been out of the national spotlight for so long that many young Cubans have had little exposure to him, and do not seem to identify with him. |
| “My grandparents’ generation, which benefited a lot from him, will feel very strongly,” said Ms. Díaz, 31. “In my parents’ generation, there is also still a lot of loyalty. In my generation, you’ll see more differences.” | “My grandparents’ generation, which benefited a lot from him, will feel very strongly,” said Ms. Díaz, 31. “In my parents’ generation, there is also still a lot of loyalty. In my generation, you’ll see more differences.” |
| “In a large portion of the young people, what you will see is apathy,” she said. | “In a large portion of the young people, what you will see is apathy,” she said. |
| Ms. Díaz said she expected Mr. Castro’s death to lead to more diversity of opinion within the leadership. The Cuban government likes to portray itself as a monolith, even though it is well known that some factions are more conservative than others, she said. | Ms. Díaz said she expected Mr. Castro’s death to lead to more diversity of opinion within the leadership. The Cuban government likes to portray itself as a monolith, even though it is well known that some factions are more conservative than others, she said. |
| “This is going to bring that out in public,” she said. | “This is going to bring that out in public,” she said. |
| Cuban national television interrupted its regular schedule in favor of historic video clips of Mr. Castro and scenes of Elian Gonzales’s reunion with his family in Cuba after he was returned from Florida. | Cuban national television interrupted its regular schedule in favor of historic video clips of Mr. Castro and scenes of Elian Gonzales’s reunion with his family in Cuba after he was returned from Florida. |
| The area near the Malecon — the seaside boulevard where so many young people gather that Cubans often call it the city’s longest sofa — is usually filled with young people drinking from bottles of rum and playing live music. But it was strangely silent early Saturday. | The area near the Malecon — the seaside boulevard where so many young people gather that Cubans often call it the city’s longest sofa — is usually filled with young people drinking from bottles of rum and playing live music. But it was strangely silent early Saturday. |
| Many were there to check the internet, since the area is one of the country’s most popular Wi-Fi spots. But the police were on guard, and the young people were reserved, few of them gathering in groups. Most seemed to want to get home. | |
| In Miami, celebratory crowds gathered at Versailles, a Cuban restaurant in the Little Havana neighborhood that has become a focal point of the Cuban exile community in the United States. Revelers posted videos on social media of popping champagne bottles. | In Miami, celebratory crowds gathered at Versailles, a Cuban restaurant in the Little Havana neighborhood that has become a focal point of the Cuban exile community in the United States. Revelers posted videos on social media of popping champagne bottles. |
| Miriam Leiva, a longtime anti-Castro activist, said that President Raúl Castro had maintained “absolute control” over the government in the 12 years since his brother Fidel fell ill, and there was little chance of any political upheaval. If anything, she said, his death might loosen up economic changes, which have been limited despite the recent rapprochement with Washington. | Miriam Leiva, a longtime anti-Castro activist, said that President Raúl Castro had maintained “absolute control” over the government in the 12 years since his brother Fidel fell ill, and there was little chance of any political upheaval. If anything, she said, his death might loosen up economic changes, which have been limited despite the recent rapprochement with Washington. |
| “That political apparatus that put the breaks on change could weaken,” she said. | “That political apparatus that put the breaks on change could weaken,” she said. |
| For many, Fidel Castro’s death, despite being so long foretold and so often rumored in recent years, still came as a surprise. | For many, Fidel Castro’s death, despite being so long foretold and so often rumored in recent years, still came as a surprise. |
| ”There are still hours to come for the first sunrise without Fidel Castro that I have ever lived in my life,” Yoani Sánchez, a Cuban activist and blogger, said in a Twitter message. | ”There are still hours to come for the first sunrise without Fidel Castro that I have ever lived in my life,” Yoani Sánchez, a Cuban activist and blogger, said in a Twitter message. |
| Francisco Rodríguez Cruz, a prominent blogger and gay activist who supports the revolution, said that losing Mr. Castro was like losing a parent. | Francisco Rodríguez Cruz, a prominent blogger and gay activist who supports the revolution, said that losing Mr. Castro was like losing a parent. |
| “With this death, you feel that your own life is spread before you,” Mr. Cruz, 46, said in Havana. | “With this death, you feel that your own life is spread before you,” Mr. Cruz, 46, said in Havana. |
| “It is a very strange feeling.” | “It is a very strange feeling.” |