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| 'The dark era is over. I can see the light': Cuban Americans on Fidel Castro's death 'The dark era is over. I can see the light': Cuban Americans on Fidel Castro's death | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The streets of Miami, Florida, were full last weekend as crowds gathered to celebrate the death of Cuban revolutionary and former leader Fidel Castro. He died on Friday aged 90. | The streets of Miami, Florida, were full last weekend as crowds gathered to celebrate the death of Cuban revolutionary and former leader Fidel Castro. He died on Friday aged 90. |
| Many Cuban Americans fled there to escape Castro’s communist rule. But many do not share the delight, and hail his many achievements, especially with his work around improving health and education. | Many Cuban Americans fled there to escape Castro’s communist rule. But many do not share the delight, and hail his many achievements, especially with his work around improving health and education. |
| We asked Cuban Americans to tell us how they felt. Are there mixed feelings? How did Castro’s rule affect them? What does the future hold? Here is a selection of opinions. | We asked Cuban Americans to tell us how they felt. Are there mixed feelings? How did Castro’s rule affect them? What does the future hold? Here is a selection of opinions. |
| Jacob Wilson, 26, from Detroit: My family had to flee when it became clear that Batista’s hold on power was waning | Jacob Wilson, 26, from Detroit: My family had to flee when it became clear that Batista’s hold on power was waning |
| The death of Fidel Castro has brought some relief. He and his brother represent a hammer and sickle lodged into the gears of social and economic progress. As long as they live, reforms will be a metre wide and an inch deep. Even with the death of Fidel, his brother and the ageing communist elites will continue to stop the country opening up. They know their only means of survival will be to improve conditions before the veil comes off. | The death of Fidel Castro has brought some relief. He and his brother represent a hammer and sickle lodged into the gears of social and economic progress. As long as they live, reforms will be a metre wide and an inch deep. Even with the death of Fidel, his brother and the ageing communist elites will continue to stop the country opening up. They know their only means of survival will be to improve conditions before the veil comes off. |
| The Fernandez side of my family were from Artemisa, Cuba. We can trace our roots to the construction of the railroad in the 1800s. My great-great-grandfather came over from Spain to assist in its construction and stayed. | The Fernandez side of my family were from Artemisa, Cuba. We can trace our roots to the construction of the railroad in the 1800s. My great-great-grandfather came over from Spain to assist in its construction and stayed. |
| My great uncle was detained and questioned in the time leading up to the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista Zaldívar, Cuba’s dictator from 1952 to 1959. My family had to flee when it became clear that Batista’s hold on power was waning. The decision was a sound one – other land owners and dissidents were among the first victims of Fidel Castro. | My great uncle was detained and questioned in the time leading up to the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista Zaldívar, Cuba’s dictator from 1952 to 1959. My family had to flee when it became clear that Batista’s hold on power was waning. The decision was a sound one – other land owners and dissidents were among the first victims of Fidel Castro. |
| In America my grandfather’s siblings went back to school. They wanted to re-enter the workforce as engineers and chemists. My grandfather was the youngest and became a chef, working for members of the Detroit Club and other private groups. | In America my grandfather’s siblings went back to school. They wanted to re-enter the workforce as engineers and chemists. My grandfather was the youngest and became a chef, working for members of the Detroit Club and other private groups. |
| The accolades that western leaders and pseudo-intellectuals are heaping on this despot are sickening. If your political system can’t exist without the destruction of civil liberties then it should not be legitimised. The presidents of the US, Canada and the European commission seem to be of another opinion. They see Castro as a “singular figure”, a “remarkable leader” and “a hero for many”. These men share many of the goals and aspirations of Castro’s revolution, if not his methods. This should give us all pause for thought, as the goals and the methods are linked. | The accolades that western leaders and pseudo-intellectuals are heaping on this despot are sickening. If your political system can’t exist without the destruction of civil liberties then it should not be legitimised. The presidents of the US, Canada and the European commission seem to be of another opinion. They see Castro as a “singular figure”, a “remarkable leader” and “a hero for many”. These men share many of the goals and aspirations of Castro’s revolution, if not his methods. This should give us all pause for thought, as the goals and the methods are linked. |
| I am not sure what the future holds for Cuba. It’s taken out the heart of a monster on life support. The brother and his team of kleptocrats will work their hands to the bone to keep the Cuban people from the rest of the world. | I am not sure what the future holds for Cuba. It’s taken out the heart of a monster on life support. The brother and his team of kleptocrats will work their hands to the bone to keep the Cuban people from the rest of the world. |
| Nicholas, 21, from Florida: I am saddened at the loss of a man who has come to symbolise Cuba | Nicholas, 21, from Florida: I am saddened at the loss of a man who has come to symbolise Cuba |
| I have felt a range of emotions in the days following Fidel Castro’s death. I am saddened at the loss of a man who has come to symbolise Cuba and its valiant resistance to foreign oppression. Further, he supported the struggle against exploitation across the developing world, and his loss will be felt by many of those who fought against their own oppressors and were inspired by the Cuban revolution. | I have felt a range of emotions in the days following Fidel Castro’s death. I am saddened at the loss of a man who has come to symbolise Cuba and its valiant resistance to foreign oppression. Further, he supported the struggle against exploitation across the developing world, and his loss will be felt by many of those who fought against their own oppressors and were inspired by the Cuban revolution. |
| I know many of Castro’s changes benefited the country’s poorest and most marginalised. This is especially true in areas of health and education. But I also recognise that there has been great suffering under his excessively authoritarian regime. For those who experienced this pain, I hope that his death provides some closure. | I know many of Castro’s changes benefited the country’s poorest and most marginalised. This is especially true in areas of health and education. But I also recognise that there has been great suffering under his excessively authoritarian regime. For those who experienced this pain, I hope that his death provides some closure. |
| I would say that of the exiled branch of my family, I am the most sympathetic to Castro’s politics and legacy. This poses some difficulty for me and many other young Cuban Americans in similar positions. I feel more able to come to terms with Cuba’s past, present and future. But I still have family in Cuba, some of whom are ardent supporters of the revolution, and this wound has never fully healed for those who chose to leave. | I would say that of the exiled branch of my family, I am the most sympathetic to Castro’s politics and legacy. This poses some difficulty for me and many other young Cuban Americans in similar positions. I feel more able to come to terms with Cuba’s past, present and future. But I still have family in Cuba, some of whom are ardent supporters of the revolution, and this wound has never fully healed for those who chose to leave. |
| In this respect, there is a tremendous problem in the Cuban American community as a whole. There is a widespread inability to talk about Castro and the revolution in a level-headed way. For many, painful memories inhibit an objective discussion about Cuba and the achievements (and failures) of the revolution. I hope that one day, this will change. To work towards a brighter future, we must first be able to talk about the past. | In this respect, there is a tremendous problem in the Cuban American community as a whole. There is a widespread inability to talk about Castro and the revolution in a level-headed way. For many, painful memories inhibit an objective discussion about Cuba and the achievements (and failures) of the revolution. I hope that one day, this will change. To work towards a brighter future, we must first be able to talk about the past. |
| I have found myself able to look past and make peace with the struggles my family faced leaving Cuba many years ago. I have visited the island, and will continue to do so as it is a place that I feel an intense affinity towards. History will be the ultimate judge of Castro’s legacy, but I expect that – as the man himself predicted – it will absolve him. | I have found myself able to look past and make peace with the struggles my family faced leaving Cuba many years ago. I have visited the island, and will continue to do so as it is a place that I feel an intense affinity towards. History will be the ultimate judge of Castro’s legacy, but I expect that – as the man himself predicted – it will absolve him. |
| At this point, I do not expect any major changes in the immediate future of Cuba. Raúl Castro has shown an inclination towards reform, and this will certainly continue until he stands down as president in 2018. The death of Fidel represents the gradual passing of an older generation of revolutionaries in the country. Soon it will be the young who must carry forward and adapt the revolution to make it a success for all Cubans. These are people who never experienced the past struggles faced in Cuba. They have been shaped by the revolution. It is up to them to learn from the mistakes of the past to make a better future. | At this point, I do not expect any major changes in the immediate future of Cuba. Raúl Castro has shown an inclination towards reform, and this will certainly continue until he stands down as president in 2018. The death of Fidel represents the gradual passing of an older generation of revolutionaries in the country. Soon it will be the young who must carry forward and adapt the revolution to make it a success for all Cubans. These are people who never experienced the past struggles faced in Cuba. They have been shaped by the revolution. It is up to them to learn from the mistakes of the past to make a better future. |
| Alba Herrera, 54, from Pennsylvania: The dark era of Cuba is coming to an end and we can start seeing the light | Alba Herrera, 54, from Pennsylvania: The dark era of Cuba is coming to an end and we can start seeing the light |
| I’m glad he is dead. But I’m sad that he died without facing judgment for all the crimes he committed against the Cuban people. The world has believed this myth about Castro. I was born there after he took office. My parents were not wealthy before Castro. In fact, we belonged to the proletarian class. But after Castro, we were miserable, worse than poor. And after my family requested permission for an exit visa we were called gusanos (worms). | I’m glad he is dead. But I’m sad that he died without facing judgment for all the crimes he committed against the Cuban people. The world has believed this myth about Castro. I was born there after he took office. My parents were not wealthy before Castro. In fact, we belonged to the proletarian class. But after Castro, we were miserable, worse than poor. And after my family requested permission for an exit visa we were called gusanos (worms). |
| My family had to leave our country and learn a new language and adapt. I am glad the US took us in and I’m proud to be an American by choice. But this man took away the right for me to live in my own country. His politics defined me making me a true liberal in its real definition. I’m for freedom of speech, movement, religion, right to bear arms, sexual rights, political freedom, etc. I’ve seen first hand what happens when these rights are removed by despots such as the Castro brothers and their henchmen. | My family had to leave our country and learn a new language and adapt. I am glad the US took us in and I’m proud to be an American by choice. But this man took away the right for me to live in my own country. His politics defined me making me a true liberal in its real definition. I’m for freedom of speech, movement, religion, right to bear arms, sexual rights, political freedom, etc. I’ve seen first hand what happens when these rights are removed by despots such as the Castro brothers and their henchmen. |
| There is hope for the future. Raúl is still in power. But he too is old, and one can only hope that he too soon joins his brother. The dark era of Cuba is coming to an end and we can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. | There is hope for the future. Raúl is still in power. But he too is old, and one can only hope that he too soon joins his brother. The dark era of Cuba is coming to an end and we can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. |
| Joaquin Tomas, 39, from New York: There was repression, but Castro’s policies also had a positive impact | Joaquin Tomas, 39, from New York: There was repression, but Castro’s policies also had a positive impact |
| It’s complicated. I grew up in the US, so I wasn’t directly affected by Castro and his oppression. My family were. They supported him at first, my uncle died fighting for the revolution. But then when he seized control it got worse and my family turned against him. My mother ended up in a work camp and I grew up hearing these tales of Castro being almost like the boogie man. He was the stuff of childhood nightmares. | It’s complicated. I grew up in the US, so I wasn’t directly affected by Castro and his oppression. My family were. They supported him at first, my uncle died fighting for the revolution. But then when he seized control it got worse and my family turned against him. My mother ended up in a work camp and I grew up hearing these tales of Castro being almost like the boogie man. He was the stuff of childhood nightmares. |
| But then later when I grew up I got a more nuanced view. Unlike lots of Cuban Americans I went to Cuba. I visited a clinic and saw how good their healthcare system is. My cousin goes to college and medical school for free. Although there was repression, Castro’s policies also had a positive impact. | But then later when I grew up I got a more nuanced view. Unlike lots of Cuban Americans I went to Cuba. I visited a clinic and saw how good their healthcare system is. My cousin goes to college and medical school for free. Although there was repression, Castro’s policies also had a positive impact. |
| I found the celebrating of his death distasteful. I get why some would feel happy, but he has been out of power for nearly a debate and it’s not like the system has changed. The government has not been toppled. His brother is still in power. There have been reforms but it’s still the same. I felt like people were celebrating out of a sense of vengeance. They were celebrating an old man’s death. For however bad or good he is, Castro is still a human being. He was sick and I found it distasteful to celebrate his death. | I found the celebrating of his death distasteful. I get why some would feel happy, but he has been out of power for nearly a debate and it’s not like the system has changed. The government has not been toppled. His brother is still in power. There have been reforms but it’s still the same. I felt like people were celebrating out of a sense of vengeance. They were celebrating an old man’s death. For however bad or good he is, Castro is still a human being. He was sick and I found it distasteful to celebrate his death. |