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Cuba: Fidel Castro's son 'takes own life' | Cuba: Fidel Castro's son 'takes own life' |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The 68-year-old son of Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro has killed himself in Havana, according to Cuban state media. | The 68-year-old son of Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro has killed himself in Havana, according to Cuban state media. |
Fidel Ángel Castro Díaz-Balart was found on Thursday morning and is said to have suffered from depression. | Fidel Ángel Castro Díaz-Balart was found on Thursday morning and is said to have suffered from depression. |
The first-born son of the late president was nicknamed "Fidelito", or Little Fidel, after his father. | The first-born son of the late president was nicknamed "Fidelito", or Little Fidel, after his father. |
He was a nuclear physicist, trained by the former Soviet Union. | He was a nuclear physicist, trained by the former Soviet Union. |
"Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart, who had been treated by a group of doctors for several months due to deep depression, took his life this morning," Cuba's official newspaper Granma reported - little more than a year after his father. | "Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart, who had been treated by a group of doctors for several months due to deep depression, took his life this morning," Cuba's official newspaper Granma reported - little more than a year after his father. |
State television said he had been receiving medical treatment as an outpatient in recent months, following a hospital stay. | State television said he had been receiving medical treatment as an outpatient in recent months, following a hospital stay. |
Depression in the spotlight - Will Grant, BBC News, Havana | Depression in the spotlight - Will Grant, BBC News, Havana |
Fidel Ángel Castro Díaz-Balart had taken his own life after suffering with deep depression which doctors had been treating him for over several months, state TV said. | Fidel Ángel Castro Díaz-Balart had taken his own life after suffering with deep depression which doctors had been treating him for over several months, state TV said. |
As much as the death itself may shock ordinary Cubans, it was those unexpected circumstances which caught them by surprise. | As much as the death itself may shock ordinary Cubans, it was those unexpected circumstances which caught them by surprise. |
As the personal lives of members of the Castro family are generally kept away from the public eye, almost no-one will have known he suffered mental health issues prior to the announcement of his death. | As the personal lives of members of the Castro family are generally kept away from the public eye, almost no-one will have known he suffered mental health issues prior to the announcement of his death. |
Did Fidel Castro's name kill his son? | |
At the time of his death, he was a scientific adviser for the Cuban Council of State and he served as vice president of Cuba's Academy of Sciences. | At the time of his death, he was a scientific adviser for the Cuban Council of State and he served as vice president of Cuba's Academy of Sciences. |
He headed the island's nuclear programme from 1980 to 1992, before it was suspended after the Soviet Union's collapse. | He headed the island's nuclear programme from 1980 to 1992, before it was suspended after the Soviet Union's collapse. |
He was married to María Victoria Barreiro and had three children from his previous marriage - Fidel Antonio Castro Smirnov, Mirta María Castro Smirnova and José Raúl Castro Smirnov. | He was married to María Victoria Barreiro and had three children from his previous marriage - Fidel Antonio Castro Smirnov, Mirta María Castro Smirnova and José Raúl Castro Smirnov. |
Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart was born in 1949, during his father's brief first marriage to Mirta Díaz-Balart, the daughter of a prominent pre-revolution politician. | Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart was born in 1949, during his father's brief first marriage to Mirta Díaz-Balart, the daughter of a prominent pre-revolution politician. |
His father went on to overthrow the US-backed dictator, Fulgencio Batista, in 1959 - when his mother's family fled the island and went to Florida. | His father went on to overthrow the US-backed dictator, Fulgencio Batista, in 1959 - when his mother's family fled the island and went to Florida. |
His parents divorced and "Fidelito" spent some of his early years in the US before his father managed to bring him back to Cuba. | His parents divorced and "Fidelito" spent some of his early years in the US before his father managed to bring him back to Cuba. |
This history explains why some of his close maternal relatives are among the most committed critics of the Cuban government - such as his cousin, Mario Díaz-Balart, a US congressman. | This history explains why some of his close maternal relatives are among the most committed critics of the Cuban government - such as his cousin, Mario Díaz-Balart, a US congressman. |
Fidelito himself was loyal to the ideals of the Cuban revolution, but was said in recent years to have grown weary - both of living in his father's shadow and having been sidelined from Cuban decision-making on energy resources, said reports. | Fidelito himself was loyal to the ideals of the Cuban revolution, but was said in recent years to have grown weary - both of living in his father's shadow and having been sidelined from Cuban decision-making on energy resources, said reports. |
His ideas for developing renewable energy on the island were not incorporated into state policy, an academic colleague, Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, told Reuters. | His ideas for developing renewable energy on the island were not incorporated into state policy, an academic colleague, Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, told Reuters. |
"I imagine that was disappointing for him," Mr Benjamin-Alvarado said. | "I imagine that was disappointing for him," Mr Benjamin-Alvarado said. |
The TV announcement said his funeral would be planned by his family, but no further details were given. | The TV announcement said his funeral would be planned by his family, but no further details were given. |
His father, Fidel Castro, a revolutionary figure and one of the world's longest serving political leaders, died aged 90 in 2016. | His father, Fidel Castro, a revolutionary figure and one of the world's longest serving political leaders, died aged 90 in 2016. |