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| Fidel Castro death: Cuba prepares for commemoration | Fidel Castro death: Cuba prepares for commemoration |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Delegations from around the world have been arriving in the Cuban capital, Havana, for an event honouring Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. | Delegations from around the world have been arriving in the Cuban capital, Havana, for an event honouring Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. |
| Castro, who came to power in 1959 and ushered in a Communist revolution, died on Friday aged 90. | Castro, who came to power in 1959 and ushered in a Communist revolution, died on Friday aged 90. |
| Thousands of people have filled Revolution Square for a memorial rally starting at 19:00 (00:00 GMT). | |
| Left-wing Latin American leaders will attend the event but many other world leaders have sent delegations instead. | Left-wing Latin American leaders will attend the event but many other world leaders have sent delegations instead. |
| Opinion on Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century, remains divided. | Opinion on Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century, remains divided. |
| Supporters say he returned Cuba to the people and praise him for some of his social programmes, such as public health and education. | Supporters say he returned Cuba to the people and praise him for some of his social programmes, such as public health and education. |
| But critics call him a dictator, who led a government that did not tolerate opposition and dissent. | But critics call him a dictator, who led a government that did not tolerate opposition and dissent. |
| Attendance at the commemorative event reflects this division. | Attendance at the commemorative event reflects this division. |
| The left-wing presidents of Bolivia and Venezuela, Evo Morales and Nicolas Maduro, already paid their respects early on Tuesday, signing a book of condolences at the Jose Marti memorial where a photograph flanked by an honour has been on display since Monday. | The left-wing presidents of Bolivia and Venezuela, Evo Morales and Nicolas Maduro, already paid their respects early on Tuesday, signing a book of condolences at the Jose Marti memorial where a photograph flanked by an honour has been on display since Monday. |
| Another admirer of Fidel Castro, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, is expected to join the the two presidents at the commemoration later on Tuesday. | Another admirer of Fidel Castro, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, is expected to join the the two presidents at the commemoration later on Tuesday. |
| But many Western leaders will not attend the event in person. | But many Western leaders will not attend the event in person. |
| Cooling relations? | Cooling relations? |
| The White House announced that its nominee for the post of ambassador to Havana, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, and Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes would attend the commemorative event but that it was not sending an "official delegation" to Cuba. | The White House announced that its nominee for the post of ambassador to Havana, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, and Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes would attend the commemorative event but that it was not sending an "official delegation" to Cuba. |
| Ben Rhodes was one of the US officials who negotiated the thaw between the US and the Cuban government announced in December 2014. | Ben Rhodes was one of the US officials who negotiated the thaw between the US and the Cuban government announced in December 2014. |
| President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened to end the detente if Cuba did not offer a "better deal". | President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened to end the detente if Cuba did not offer a "better deal". |
| Little detail has been revealed about the commemorative event itself. | Little detail has been revealed about the commemorative event itself. |
| On Wednesday, Castro's ashes, which according to Cuban state media have been kept in a room at the defence ministry, will be taken on a journey to the south-eastern city of Santiago. | On Wednesday, Castro's ashes, which according to Cuban state media have been kept in a room at the defence ministry, will be taken on a journey to the south-eastern city of Santiago. |
| The route will recreate the victory tour taken by Castro after he won power in 1959, only in reverse. | The route will recreate the victory tour taken by Castro after he won power in 1959, only in reverse. |
| His ashes will be placed on Sunday in the Ifigenia Cemetery in Santiago, where Cuban independence hero Jose Marti is buried. | His ashes will be placed on Sunday in the Ifigenia Cemetery in Santiago, where Cuban independence hero Jose Marti is buried. |