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Cuba: Crowds pay last respects to Fidel Castro in Santiago Cuba: Crowds pay last respects to Fidel Castro in Santiago
(about 2 hours later)
The urn with the ashes of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has arrived in the city of Santiago, the birthplace of the revolution, where he will be laid to rest. Cuban President Raul Castro has led final tributes to his brother Fidel at an event in the city of Santiago.
Large crowds shouting 'Long live Fidel!" greeted his funeral cortege. Tens of thousands of Cubans attended the ceremony, as well as world leaders.
Thousands are expected to pay their final respects shortly at a ceremony in the city's Revolution Square. Raul Castro vowed to honour the socialist principles and goals of the revolution led by Fidel, who died on 25 November aged 90.
President Raul Castro will lead the tributes. He took over when his brother's health deteriorated in 2006. He also announced that Cuba would ban naming any monuments or roads after Fidel Castro, at the request of the late leader.
Fidel Castro's ashes will be buried on Sunday. "The leader of the revolution strongly opposed any manifestation of cult of personality," said Raul Castro.
The leaders of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia are due to attend, as is the Argentine footballer, Diego Maradona. No statues or busts of Fidel will be erected in Cuba, he said.
Former Brazilian Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff have also travelled to Cuba for the ceremony. The urn with his ashes will be interred on Sunday in Santiago, known as the birthplace as the Cuban Revolution.
It arrived on Saturday in Santiago, after a four-day journey from the capital, Havana.
Large crowds shouting 'Long live Fidel!" and "I am Fidel!" greeted his funeral cortege through the streets of Santiago.
'A father to us''A father to us'
People waving flags and pictures of Fidel Castro have turned out to watch the cortege on its four-day journey from the capital Havana. The leaders of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia have attended the ceremony.
"All of us who love Fidel, who is a father to us. He cleared a path for us and the people will follow him," Tania Maria Jimenez told Reuters."All of us who love Fidel, who is a father to us. He cleared a path for us and the people will follow him," Tania Maria Jimenez told Reuters.
She was among thousands of Cubans watching as the urn with Mr Castro's ashes was driven past the historic Moncada barracks in Santiago.She was among thousands of Cubans watching as the urn with Mr Castro's ashes was driven past the historic Moncada barracks in Santiago.
Fidel Castro was part of the small group of revolutionaries who launched an attack on the barracks on 26 July 1953.Fidel Castro was part of the small group of revolutionaries who launched an attack on the barracks on 26 July 1953.
The attacked failed, but it was considered the first act of the revolution that would depose the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista on 1 January 1959.The attacked failed, but it was considered the first act of the revolution that would depose the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista on 1 January 1959.
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.
Fidel Castro died on 25 November aged 90. Raul Castro took over when his brother's health deteriorated in 2006.
His ashes will be placed in the Ifigenia Cemetery, where Cuban independence hero Jose Marti is buried. Fidel Castro's ashes will be placed in the Ifigenia Cemetery, where Cuban independence hero Jose Marti is buried.