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| Subdued Cuba Prepares Memorial for Castro | Subdued Cuba Prepares Memorial for Castro |
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| HAVANA — Cuba is preparing for Fidel Castro’s final public appearance: a two-day memorial offering Cubans a chance to pay their respects. | HAVANA — Cuba is preparing for Fidel Castro’s final public appearance: a two-day memorial offering Cubans a chance to pay their respects. |
| Details of Mr. Castro’s death on Friday night, at the age of 90, have yet to be made public. But as if performing a play that had been rehearsed for a decade, the government continued to roll out plans for what official statements have called a nine-day period of “Duelo Nacional,” or national mourning. | |
| Government employees have begun setting up speakers and yellow crowd-control gates at the Plaza de la Revolución, where the memorial will begin on Monday. Granma, the main government newspaper, published a special edition on Mr. Castro’s life and achievements. | Government employees have begun setting up speakers and yellow crowd-control gates at the Plaza de la Revolución, where the memorial will begin on Monday. Granma, the main government newspaper, published a special edition on Mr. Castro’s life and achievements. |
| “Public activities and events will be suspended and national flags will fly at half-staff in public buildings and military installations,” Granma reported. “Radio and television will continue with programming that is informative, patriotic and historical.” | “Public activities and events will be suspended and national flags will fly at half-staff in public buildings and military installations,” Granma reported. “Radio and television will continue with programming that is informative, patriotic and historical.” |
| All across Havana on Saturday night and Sunday morning, Cubans seemed quieter, more cautious, less certain of what the future might hold. | All across Havana on Saturday night and Sunday morning, Cubans seemed quieter, more cautious, less certain of what the future might hold. |
| Several nightclubs stayed closed on Saturday night. Traffic lessened and the usual weekend music and revelry seemed dialed back, with many predicting that the somber mood — both sincere and enforced by the state — would hold until Mr. Castro’s ashes are interred in Santiago de Cuba next Sunday after a procession along the country’s central highway. | Several nightclubs stayed closed on Saturday night. Traffic lessened and the usual weekend music and revelry seemed dialed back, with many predicting that the somber mood — both sincere and enforced by the state — would hold until Mr. Castro’s ashes are interred in Santiago de Cuba next Sunday after a procession along the country’s central highway. |
| At one of Havana’s most popular Wi-Fi hot spots — behind the imposing Capitolio building, which is being restored to hold the country’s national Legislature — the crowds were smaller than usual after dark on Saturday. | At one of Havana’s most popular Wi-Fi hot spots — behind the imposing Capitolio building, which is being restored to hold the country’s national Legislature — the crowds were smaller than usual after dark on Saturday. |
| Several young Cubans could be seen scrolling through Facebook and pointing out what relatives and friends around the world were sharing about Mr. Castro’s death. | Several young Cubans could be seen scrolling through Facebook and pointing out what relatives and friends around the world were sharing about Mr. Castro’s death. |
| Only a handful were talking to those relatives by video chat, which is usually the most popular activity in the hot spots spread across Havana. | Only a handful were talking to those relatives by video chat, which is usually the most popular activity in the hot spots spread across Havana. |
| Tourists in the group said they were surprised but pleased to have been on the island during such a historic moment. | Tourists in the group said they were surprised but pleased to have been on the island during such a historic moment. |
| “I’m definitely going tomorrow to see everyone saying goodbye to Fidel,” said Miguel Castillo, 52, a visitor from Costa Rica. “He was a symbol of resistance. The people of Latin America had long been listening to his voice, to his call for autonomy.” | “I’m definitely going tomorrow to see everyone saying goodbye to Fidel,” said Miguel Castillo, 52, a visitor from Costa Rica. “He was a symbol of resistance. The people of Latin America had long been listening to his voice, to his call for autonomy.” |
| Marini Danilo, 30, a tourist from Italy, said he couldn’t believe his vacation had turned into a chance “to live in such a big story.” | Marini Danilo, 30, a tourist from Italy, said he couldn’t believe his vacation had turned into a chance “to live in such a big story.” |
| “For me, he was just another dictator,” Mr. Danilo said. “He was not my dictator, he was Cuba’s, but it feels crazy to be here.” | “For me, he was just another dictator,” Mr. Danilo said. “He was not my dictator, he was Cuba’s, but it feels crazy to be here.” |
| At least on Sunday, the size and scale of the goodbye for Mr. Castro was hard to gauge. | At least on Sunday, the size and scale of the goodbye for Mr. Castro was hard to gauge. |
| Cubans have long known that during moments when the world is watching, so are state authorities: During international conferences, during President Obama’s visit in March, and now, after Mr. Castro’s death, the presence of state security becomes more intense, both in the streets and behind the scenes. | Cubans have long known that during moments when the world is watching, so are state authorities: During international conferences, during President Obama’s visit in March, and now, after Mr. Castro’s death, the presence of state security becomes more intense, both in the streets and behind the scenes. |
| Even without such clear warnings, Cubans — after decades of living under Fidel and Raúl Castro — know that in such moments they are expected to behave and to say very little, especially to visiting international news media. | Even without such clear warnings, Cubans — after decades of living under Fidel and Raúl Castro — know that in such moments they are expected to behave and to say very little, especially to visiting international news media. |
| So far, grief and memorialization have been dominated by the state. There have been only occasional public expressions or gatherings of any kind: a few students from a young communist group getting together to grieve publicly on Saturday; a small group of Cubans waving flags on the Malecón, the city’s seaside boulevard. | So far, grief and memorialization have been dominated by the state. There have been only occasional public expressions or gatherings of any kind: a few students from a young communist group getting together to grieve publicly on Saturday; a small group of Cubans waving flags on the Malecón, the city’s seaside boulevard. |
| At the Plaza de la Revolución on Saturday night, the wide expanse of concrete was empty except for the police, some soldiers — and exactly four visitors snapping photos. But starting on Monday, Cubans expect to see thousands of others, for the final spectacle of the Fidel Castro era. | At the Plaza de la Revolución on Saturday night, the wide expanse of concrete was empty except for the police, some soldiers — and exactly four visitors snapping photos. But starting on Monday, Cubans expect to see thousands of others, for the final spectacle of the Fidel Castro era. |