Concluding summary
We’re wrapping up our live coverage of global reaction to the death of Fidel Castro. Here’s a summary of the main points.
- The Cuban government has now declared nine days of national mourning and announced Castro’s ashes would be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba on 4 December.
- US president Barack Obama extended a hand of friendship to the Cuban people and said “history will record and judge the enormous impact” of Castro.
- US president-elect Donald Trump described Castro as a “brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades” and hoped his passing would lead to freedom for Cubans.
- Tributes have been paid by Latin American leaders including Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro; Mexican president, Enrique Peña Nieto; and Ecuador’s president, Rafael Correa.
- Russian president, Vladimir Putin, praised Castro as the “symbol of an era”, and the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev also hailed him for “strengthening” his island nation.
- The Nelson Mandela Foundation sent its condolences to the people and government of Cuba, and South African President Jacob Zuma thanked Castro for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid.
- But celebrations broke out in Little Havana, the Miami neighbourhood home to many Cubans in exile in the US.
- And Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American elected to Congress, said Castro was a “tyrant and thug” and hailed his death as an opportunity to “work for a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous”.
And if you want more on the passing of Castro, there’s plenty more reading here:
Cuba’s revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, dies aged 90
‘The old man is dead’: Fidel Castro’s death sparks celebrations on streets of Miami
Castro’s legacy: how the revolutionary inspired and appalled the world
Divide and rule: Castro family torn by dysfunction and disagreements
‘He led a humble life’: Fidel Castro’s biographer on the legacy of a revolutionary – video
Fidel Castro – from schoolboy to statesman, a life in pictures
United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has extended his condolences to the Cuban people.
“At this time of national mourning, I offer the support of the United Nations to work alongside the people of the island,” he said in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where he is attending the Global Sustainable Transport Conference.
Under former president Castro, Cuba made advances in the fields of education literacy and health. I hope that Cuba will continue to advance on a path of reform and greater prosperity.
He left a major imprint on his country and on global politics. His revolutionary ideals left few indifferent. He was a strong voice for social justice in global discussions at the UN General Assembly and international and regional forums.”
US vice-president-elect Mike Pence tweets:
The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!
— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) November 26, 2016
Fidel Castro had a close connection to Canada, particularly with former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, for whose 2000 funeral he served as an honorary pallbearer, writes Christopher Guly in Ottawa. Trudeau was the first Western leader to visit Cuba in January 1976.
Trudeau’s son and the current Canadian PM, Justin, was in Cuba earlier this month but did not meet with Castro. Justin Trudeau issued a statement today in which he expressed “deep sorrow” of learning of the death of the former Cuban president.
Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation. While a controversial figure, both Mr Castro’s supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for el Comandante.
I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away. It was also a real honour to meet his three sons and his brother, president Raúl Castro, during my recent visit to Cuba. On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Mr Castro. We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.”
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Enrique Acevedo, presenter for US Spanish language TV network Univision, tweets:
#FidelCastro to Edward Murrow in 1959 interview: "When we have fulfilled our promise of good government, I will cut by beard." He never did. pic.twitter.com/6HjlnIUwqj
— Enrique Acevedo (@Enrique_Acevedo) November 26, 2016
Not to be left behind, yet another senior Republican has offered his two cents’ worth on Castro’s passing.
House speaker Paul Ryan said much work remained to secure freedom for the Cuban people, adding:
Now that Fidel Castro is dead, the cruelty and oppression of his regime should die with him. Today let us reflect on the memory and sacrifices of all those who have suffered under the Castros.”
Ted Cruz, the Texan senator (and another failed Republican presidential contender), has also issued a statement on Castro:
Fidel Castro’s death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families. Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba.”
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Former House speaker Newt Gingrich - who may be in the frame for a top job under President Trump - agrees with Marco Rubio:
Under no circumstance should President Obama or VP Biden or Secstate Kerry go to Cuba for Castro's funeral. He was a tyrant.
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) November 26, 2016
Garry Kasparov, chairman of the Human Rights Foundation (and former chess champion), tweets:
Fidel Castro was one of the 20th century's many monsters. We should lament only that he had so long to inflict misery on Cuba and beyond.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) November 26, 2016
Don't rationalize or apologize for Castro's decades of brutal repression, torture, and murder. He didn't fight for freedom; he destroyed it.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) November 26, 2016
History does not judge from the perspective of a dictator's followers and defenders, but from that of his victims.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) November 26, 2016
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Trump hopes for a 'free Cuba'
US president-elect, Donald Trump, has issued a statement about the death of Fidel Castro:
Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.
While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.
Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba.
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Amnesty calls Castro 'progressive but deeply flawed'
Amnesty International has called Castro a “progressive but deeply flawed leader”. The organisation said Castro’s achievements in improving access to public services for millions of Cubans were tempered by a systemic repression of basic freedoms during his time in power. Its Americas director, Erika Guevara-Rosa, said in a statement:
Access to public services such as health and education for Cubans were substantially improved by the Cuban revolution and for this, his leadership must be applauded. However, despite these achievements in areas of social policy, Fidel Castro’s 49-year reign was characterised by a ruthless suppression of freedom of expression.
The state of freedom of expression in Cuba, where activists continue to face arrest and harassment for speaking out against the government, is Fidel Castro’s darkest legacy.
Fidel Castro’s legacy is a tale of two worlds. The question now is what human rights will look like in a future Cuba. The lives of many depend on it.
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Marco Rubio, the Florida senator whose parents were Cuban immigrants, tells Fox News he hopes that the Obama administration sends “no one” to Castro’s funeral.
In a statement, he said:
“The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.”
Earlier this year Rubio sought to become the Republican presidential candidate, but lost out to Donald Trump in the party’s primaries.
Updated
Mitch McConnell, the US Senate majority leader, says that although Castro is gone, “the oppression that was the hallmark of his era is not”.
It is my hope that the Cuban regime will use this opportunity to turn the page for the good of the Cuban people and for all those living in the Americas. Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba.”
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US Senator Marco Rubio, who ran against Trump in the Republican primary, has said that history will remember Castro as an “evil, murderous dictator”.
“Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison,” Rubio, who is Cuban-American, said in a statement.
“Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed.”
Barack Obama says history will judge Castro's 'enormous impact'
The White House has issued a statement by President Obama on Castro’s death, in which he extends a hand of friendship to the Cuban people and offers condolences to Castro’s family. The full statement is below.
At this time of Fidel Castro’s passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.
For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.
Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.
Updated
Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona has lamented the loss of a “great” man.
“They called me from Buenos Aires and it was a shock,” Maradona told reporters. “I’m terribly sad as he was like a second father.”
Maradona spent time in Cuba, where he underwent rehabilitation treatment for drug abuse. He met Castro on several occasions and expressed warm admiration for him.
Maradona first visited Cuba after the 1986 World Cup which Argentina won after he scored a handball goal during the quarter-final against England.
Castro referred to the footballer as a “great friend” while Maradona had a leg tattooed with the likeness of the then Cuban president, of whom he once said: “Along with God, he is the reason I am alive.”
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Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia and a close ally of the late Cuban leader, said he was “deeply saddened” at Castro’s death. He told the Latin American television network Telesur:
Fidel [was] the only man in the world with so many principles and so many values. He made so much history not only for Cuba, but also for the planet. That is socialism.
There will never again be a man or comrade like Fidel, who devoted his life, his knowledge and his struggle not only to the Cuban people but to all the people of the world.
As Cubans take to the streets of Miami, Carlos A. Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade county, writes of his hope for a “free and democratic Cuba”.
Early this morning, I learned of Fidel Castro's death. His passing closes a very painful chapter for Cubans on the.. pic.twitter.com/TejBEb3IGF
— Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) November 26, 2016
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EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker has said in a statement:
Fidel Castro was one of the historic figures of the past century and the embodiment of the Cuban Revolution.
With the death of Fidel Castro, the world has lost a man who was a hero for many. He changed the course of his country and his influence reached far beyond. Fidel Castro remains one of the revolutionary figures of the 20th century. His legacy will be judged by history.
I convey my condolences to the Cuban President Raúl Castro and his family and to the people of Cuba.
With the death of #FidelCastro, the world has lost a man who was a hero for many. https://t.co/u0ULZoG8Fl
— Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) November 26, 2016
Duncan Campbell details all of the CIA’s outlandish plots to bump off the Cuban dictator, including the use of poison pills, toxic cigars and exploding molluscs. Once, he even offered to shoot himself.
Updated
The Economist concludes that Castro’s death means the island nation will now shake off any vestiges of communism.
The transition to a post-communist Cuba will now begin in earnest https://t.co/iq7wPJOumE
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) November 26, 2016
Observer columnist Nick Cohen has a pop at Jeremy Corbyn’s response to Castro’s passing:
Can anyone explain how Corbyn's praise of Castro is different from Thatcher's praise of Pinochet? Thought not.https://t.co/VGR7Q4BpoS
— Nick Cohen (@NickCohen4) November 26, 2016
Absolute state of this pic.twitter.com/hTD8re5Cqv
— Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) November 26, 2016
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Pope Francis is the latest public figure to respond to the death of Fidel Castro.
The leader of the Catholic church, who met Castro when he visited Cuba last year, described it as “sad news”, adding in a message to Raul Castro: “I express to you my sentiments of grief.”
Castro, a professed atheist, was baptised as a Catholic and educated in schools run by the Jesuits, the religious order of which the pope is a member.
Updated
Always first with the news, the president-elect tweets:
Fidel Castro is dead!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016
Updated
The European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, has hailed the historical importance of Castro and said the bloc’s relations with Cuba would continue to improve.
Mogherini said Castro was “a man of determination and an historical figure,” adding that his death came as Cuba faced “great changes” and at times of global uncertainty.
EU-Cuba relations were relaunched with an agreement on political dialogue and cooperation last spring.
Updated
British foreign office expresses condolences
The British foreign office has released a statement from the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson.
The UK expresses its condolences to the government and people of Cuba, and to the former president’s family. Fidel Castro’s death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cuba’s people.
Fidel Castro’s leadership of the 1959 Cuban Revolution marked him out as an historic if controversial figure. The UK will continue to work with the government of Cuba on a wide range of foreign policy priorities, including on human rights.
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Jeremy Corbyn has visited Cuba several times and been critical of US policy towards it.
Here’s more of what he said during a visit to Oxford, where he has travelled to launch the Labour party’s national campaign day for the NHS, he said:
Fidel Castro was a massive figure in the history of the whole planet, ever since the revolution in 1959.
There are stories of his heroism while living in Mexico in exile and then the boat to Cuba, the march to Havana and the revolution in 1959.
He managed to bring good quality health services to all the people of Cuba, good quality education to all the people of Cuba and, of course, he had a foreign policy which was global, but particularly important in southern Africa in supporting Angola against the apartheid regime.
Corbyn also lauded progress the country had made in recent years in opposing the death penalty and accepting LGBT rights, as well as the mending of relations with America under Barack Obama, which he called “historic”.
History will show that Fidel was somebody who stood up for something very, very different in the Caribbean and many independent people would say how good health care and education are in Cuba compared to many other places in the world.
Addressing concerns that he was overlooking allegations that the Castro regime was involved in suppressing basic human freedoms, Corbyn said:
I have constantly raised the issues of human rights abuses everywhere in the world and if LGBT people are wrongly and badly treated and people are denied the freedom of speech, then that is wrong.
I have never shied away from raising human rights concerns in any country in the world in any circumstances and I never will.
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“Sad,” says Martin McGuinness, deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, in a somewhat Trumpean manner.
#Cuba - End of an Era. #FidelCastro RIP #Sad pic.twitter.com/DRxGl2iBrA
— Martin McGuinness (@M_McGuinness_SF) November 26, 2016
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“Fidel Castro, who has died at the age of 90, was one of the more extraordinary political figures of the 20th century” writes Richard Gott in a Guardian obituary.
“After leading a successful revolution on a Caribbean island in 1959, he became a player on the global stage, dealing on equal terms with successive leaders of the two nuclear superpowers during the cold war.
“A charismatic figure from the developing world, his influence was felt far beyond the shores of Cuba. Known as Fidel to friends and enemies alike, his life story is inevitably that of his people and their revolution. Even in old age, he still exercised a magnetic attraction wherever he went, his audience as fascinated by the dinosaur from history as they had once been by the revolutionary firebrand of earlier times.”
Xi Jinping says Castro will 'live forever'
The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, has said in a message read out on China’s main TV channel:
The Chinese people have lost a good and true comrade. Comrade Castro will live forever.
Xi added Castro was “a great man of our time” and that “history and people will remember him”. He said relations between the two communist nations grew quickly thanks to Castro’s efforts after diplomatic ties were established in 1960.
In a documentary aired shortly after Castro’s death was announced, CCTV said Fidel Castro admired Mao Zedong and “regretted not being able to get to know him”.
Even though the two countries shared an ideology, they remained distant due to Cuba’s closeness to the Soviet Union, China’s rival from the 1960s, until Mao’s death in 1976.
There was a rapprochement after the fall of the Soviet Union, with Chinese leaders visiting Cuba several times. Xi “visited his old friend Fidel Castro” in July 2014.
Updated
Jon Lee Anderson, writer at the New Yorker and biographer of Che Guevara, has said:
With the death of #Fidel Castro, at 90, one of modern world's most epic lives has ended, & w/it, an era of revolution that shaped our world.
— Jon Lee Anderson (@jonleeanderson) November 26, 2016
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The Cuban embassy in the US has tweeted:
Until forever, Commander! This No. 25, at 10:29 p.m. the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz passed away #Cuba pic.twitter.com/5SDdyDyEY1
— Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) November 26, 2016
Anti-Castro activists are toasting his death outside the Cuban embassy in Madrid.
Anticastristas brindan por la muerte de Fidel Castro ante la Embajada Cuba en España pic.twitter.com/cZ3ikSU0EO
— Juan Ramírez (@juanramirezniet) November 26, 2016
China and Vietnam respond to Castro's death
China and Vietnam, two of the few remaining Communist states, have lamented the death of Castro.
Hanoi’s state media led tributes to the loss of a “great friend and comrade”.
Castro’s Cuba showed solidarity with Vietnam in its war against US invaders.
The revolutionary figurhead first visited Vietnam in 1973 as a sign of communist kinship two years before the north drove out the US army.
As a sign of enduring ties, Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang was among the last heads of state to visit Castro, on November 16.
AFP reports the Vietnam News Agency as saying: “For all Vietnamese, Fidel was a great friend, a comrade and a very close brother”. It added that he had been “a pure symbol of true internationalism in the fight for independence of nations.”
Ties between communist China and Cuba warmed especially following the collapse of Soviet Russia, the Castro government’s biggest sponsor.
China Central Television (CCTV) ran a commentary explaining that Cuba was “the first country in the Western hemisphere” to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing.
“Fidel Castro admired Mao Zedong and... regretted not being able to get to know him,” added the commentary, describing the two nations as “good comrades”.
Castro visited China for the first time in 1995.
Updated
Justin Trudeau calls Castro a 'legendary revolutionary'
The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has extended his condolences, calling Castro a “legendary revolutionary and orator,” CTV news reports. Trudeau said in a statement:
It is with deep sorrow that I learned today of the death of Cuba’s longest-serving president ... We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.
Trudeau also made reference the longstanding friendship between his father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and Castro.
While a controversial figure, both Mr Castro’s supporters and detractors recognise his tremendous dedication and love the Cuban people who had a need and lasting affection for ‘El Comandante’.
Updated
In Cuba right now:
Work already beginning in Havana's revolution square to prepare for Fidel Castro memorial.
— Patrick Oppmann CNN (@CNN_Oppmann) November 26, 2016
Boris Johnson says Castro's death marks end of an era
The British foreign secretary tweeted:
Fidel #Castro's death marks the end of an era for #Cuba & the start of a new one for Cuba's people
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 26, 2016
Jeremy Corbyn praises 'heroism' of Castro
UK Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has hailed Fidel Castro as “a massive figure in the history of the whole planet”.
Corbyn, a long-standing supporter of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, praised Castro’s “heroism” and commended the social changes he brought to the Caribbean island.
“I think history will show that Castro was such a key figure, it seems he has been with us forever,” he told the Press Association.
Updated
Latest summary
If you’re just joining us, leaders around the world have been responding to the news that Fidel Castro, revolutionary leader of Cuba for nearly half a century, has died at the age of 90. The news was announced by his brother and successor as Cuban president, Raúl Castro, who said on national TV: “At 10.29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died.” Raúl said Fidel would be cremated on Saturday, giving no cause of death but ending the address with the revolutionary slogan: “Hasta la victoria siempre!” which translates to “Ever onward, to victory!”
- The Cuban government has now declared nine days of national mourning and announced Castro’s ashes would be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba on 4 December.
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Tributes have been paid by Latin American leaders including Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, Mexican president, Enrique Peña Nieto, and Ecuador’s president, Rafael Correa.
- India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, said the news was “tragic”, describing Castro as “one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century” and “a great friend”.
- Russian president, Vladimir Putin, praised Castro as the “symbol of an era,” and the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev also hailed him for “strengthening” his island nation.
- French president, François Hollande, mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, while noting concerns over human rights under the Castro regime.
- The Spanish government said a figure of “great historic importance has gone, a man who brought about a turning point in the country’s evolution and whose great influence was felt across the region.”
- The Nelson Mandela Foundation sent its condolences to the people and government of Cuba, and South African President Jacob Zuma thanked Castro for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid.
- Former London mayor Ken Livingstone said Castro was an “absolute giant of the 20th century” and blamed the US for the restrictions on civil liberties under his leadership.
- Irish president, Michael D Higgins, said Castro guided Cuba “through a remarkable process of social and political change, advocating a development path that was unique and determinedly independent”.
- But celebrations broke out in Little Havana, the Miami neighbourhood home to many Cubans in exile in the US.
- And Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American elected to Congress, said Castro was a “tyrant and thug” and hailed his death as an opportunity to “work for a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous”.
If you want to alert me to any developments, I’m on Twitter @nadiakhomami.
If you’re after some lunchtime reading or viewing, here’s our latest list of Castro pieces:
Full story: Cuba’s revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, dies aged 90.
‘The old man is dead’: Fidel Castro’s death sparks celebrations on streets of Miami.
Castro’s legacy: how the revolutionary inspired and appalled the world.
Divide and rule: Castro family torn by dysfunction and disagreements.
‘He led a humble life’: Fidel Castro’s biographer on the legacy of a revolutionary – video.
Fidel Castro – from schoolboy to statesman, a life in pictures.
Updated
Cuban government declares nine days of national mourning
The government has declared nine days of national mourning.
During the mourning period, all public events and activities will cease, the national flag will fly at half mast on public buildings and at military facilities and television and radio will broadcast informative, patriotic and historical programmes.
Former Labour Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid leader Peter Hain, now Lord Hain, said:
Although responsible for indefensible human rights and free speech abuses, Castro created a society of unparalleled access to free health, education and equal opportunity despite an economically throttling USA siege.
His troops inflicted the first defeat on South Africa’s troops in Angola in 1988, a vital turning point in the struggle against apartheid.
Michael D Higgins says Castro guided Cuba through remarkable change
The Irish president, Michael D Higgins, has said Castro guided Cuba “through a remarkable process of social and political change, advocating a development path that was unique and determinedly independent”. He added:
Fidel Castro will be remembered as a giant among global leaders whose view was not only one of freedom for his people but for all of the oppressed and excluded peoples on the planet.
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The BBC’s world affairs editor, John Simpson, has tweeted:
Castro hugely glamorous, v attractive, romantic, but a monster to anyone who thought or acted differently - gays, Christians, liberals.
— John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews) November 26, 2016
Castro's ashes to be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery
The Cuban government announced on Saturday morning that Fidel Castro’s ashes will be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba on 4 December.
Cubans will be able to pay homage to Castro at the José Martí memorial in Havana on 28 and 29 November. A mass rally will be held in the capital at 7pm on 29 November.
On the following day, Castro’s ashes will be begin their journey along the route that commemorates his victory in 1959.
On 4 December, at 7am, his ashes will be interred at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, the resting place of 19th century Cuban independence hero José Martí and numerous other leading figures in the country’s torrid history.
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Jacob Zuma thanks Castro for support in overthrowing apartheid
The South African president, Jacob Zuma, has thanked Castro for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid.
“President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid,” Zuma said in a statement.
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François Hollande says Castro was 'towering figure of 20th century'
The French president, François Hollande, mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, while noting concerns over human rights under the Castro regime.
“Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments,” Hollande said.
“France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the US embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves,” the Socialist party leader added in a statement.
Hollande met Fidel Castro in May, 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution.
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Putin praises Castro as ‘symbol of an era’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Castro as the “symbol of an era,” the Kremlin has said.
“The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history,” Putin said in a telegram to the Cuban president, Raul Castro, cited by the Kremlin. “Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.”
Putin said that Castro has managed to build a “free and independent Cuba” that “became an influential member of the international community and served as an inspiration for many countries and peoples.”
He hailed Castro as a “strong and wise person who always looked to the future with confidence,” adding: “He embodied the high ideals of a politician, a citizen and a patriot sincerely convinced of the rightness of the cause to which he dedicated his whole life.
“His memory will forever remain in the hearts of the citizens of Russia.”
Putin also said that Castro had made a “huge personal contribution” in the establishment and development of the countries’ bilateral relations.
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Countless iconic photos of Castro are being shared on social media. Here he is with Che Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, and Malcolm X.
Fidel Castro bersama Che Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, dan Malcom X. pic.twitter.com/zHa3J107G9
— Champ (@jhnrdzi) November 26, 2016
A few years ago Sam Jones, the Guardian’s Madrid correspondent, interviewed Ciro Bustos, the man long blamed for betraying Che Guevara in Bolivia. The full interview can be read here, but the below segment reveals differences in manner between Castro and Guevara, the twin titans of the Cuban revolution.
Ciro Bustos was 26 and at his in-laws’ house for a barbecue one spring Sunday in 1958 when he first heard the voice. It belonged to a fellow Argentinian, a doctor four years his senior who was fighting alongside Fidel Castro in the mountains of south-eastern Cuba.
As he listened to the radio, the young artist was struck by the contrast between the grandiloquence of the Cuban and the quiet, almost apologetic tones of the Argentinian.
“The way Che spoke, the way he answered questions, was totally different from Castro,” says Ciro, whose recollection of the broadcast has not been blunted by the intervening half-century.
“There was no bombast, no prima donna attitude. It was like talking to your brother, so normal and so calm. That was what moved me so much.”
Vladimir Putin has reportedly praised Castro as the “symbol of an era”.
#BREAKING Russia president Putin praises late Cuba leader Fidel Castro as 'symbol of an era'
— guy elster (@guyelster) November 26, 2016
Vladimir #Putin praises #Castro as a 'symbol of an era', #Kremlin sources say - AFP
— Dr. Ali Bakeer (@AliBakeer) November 26, 2016
The government of El Salvador has expressed “eternal gratitude” to Castro and the Cuban people for help “in the most difficult times”.
A statement said Castro’s “example will live forever in our struggles and will flower in the noble ideas of new generations.”
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Hage Geingob, the president of Namibia, has tweeted:
The death of #Fidel signals the end of an era. Our comrade is no more but his revolutionary legacy will remain with Namibia forever. pic.twitter.com/VX6v4AjQbw
— Hage Geingob (@hagegeingob) November 26, 2016
Newspapers, TV stations and websites in every country will be dominated by the death and its implications over the coming days. Among the key questions:
Where will he be buried?
Possibly the cemetery in Santiago de Cuba. I visited earlier this year and saw workers renovating the area and access roads. But the resting place has not been confirmed. A guide at Birán - Fidel’s birthplace - claimed he wanted to be buried there.
What will be the political impact?
Diplomats in Havana do not expect a huge change in the short term, but the death will underscore the need for the revolutionary generation to move on and could embolden democracy activists.
What next for the Castro family?
Raúl Castro has said he will hand over power at the end of his current term, but the ruling family have many other powerful positions in government and business that they will no doubt like to hang on to.
How will this affect Cuba’s relations with the US?
Very little. Fidel Castro was already diplomatically sidelined and unhappy about Cuba’s warmer ties with Washington. The election of Donald Trump will be a much bigger factor in determining whether those links continue to improve.
Updated
Most of Latin America is still asleep, but as people wake to the news of Fidel Castro’s death there will undoubtedly be a sense of an era passing not just for Cuba but for the entire region.
For some, particularly on the left, there will be shock, albeit tempered by the fact that Castro was long retired and publicly said his goodbyes earlier this year. Others - on the right and among the exile community in Miami - have been hoping for this day for decades, but may still feel the loss of a figure who dominated much of their political lives.
Castro’s influence in Latin America was enormous, though it has waned, particularly in the last year as Brazil and Argentina have shifted towards the right. The last of the major guerrilla movements he inspired - Colombia’s Farc - recently signed a peace deal. Even in Cuba, his anti-imperial revolution has been watered down by his brother Raúl’s economic reforms and rapprochement with the United States.
Nonetheless, mourning is likely to be declared by leaders such as Evo Morales in Bolivia, Nicolas Maduro in Nicaragua and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua who were inspired or helped by Castro.
Updated
There has not yet been any reaction to Castro’s death from the White House. The US, in particular the CIA, reportedly considered or launched more than 600 assassination attempts on Castro over decades, including using poison pills, toxic cigars and exploding molluscs. His eventual death was long considered by the US to be the “biological solution” to communism in the Caribbean country.
But in December 2014, Obama and Raúl Castro announced an extraordinary rapprochement in US-Cuban relations, promising to restore diplomatic ties and bring the two nations into a more congenial relationship. An end to the US’s 58-year embargo of Cuba, however, is dependent on Congress, where many remain opposed to normalising relations with Havana as long as any Castro is in power.
Updated
Gorbachev hails Castro for ‘strengthening’ Cuba
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has hailed Castro for “strengthening” his island nation. Interfax news agency quoted Gorbachev as saying:
Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development.
In the past years, even when Fidel Castro was not formally in power, his role in strengthening the country was huge.
Gorbachev added that Castro would be remembered as a “prominent politician” who managed to leave a “deep mark in the history of mankind.”
The Kremlin has not yet reacted to Castro’s death.
Former Labour trade minister Brian Wilson said Castro had sent out a “beacon of hope” to Latin America.
He educated his people and he gave them healthcare they had never had before, and you can admire all of that without being an uncritical supporter, believe me, but do not lose the bigger picture - that Fidel Castro, for his region and for oppressed people throughout the world, sent out a message of hope.
Wilson led efforts to normalise trade links with Cuba and shared an Old Havana whisky with the president at one meeting. “He proposed a toast to Tony Blair and the third way, I proposed a toast to peace and socialism,” he told the Today programme.
Ken Livingstone calls Castro 'absolute giant of 20th century'
Former London mayor Ken Livingstone has said Castro was an “absolute giant of the 20th century” and blamed the US for the restrictions on civil liberties under his leadership. Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Livingstone said:
I’m sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional west European democracy. It could have happened a lot earlier if you hadn’t had, the entire time, a blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents.
Livingstone said Cuba could reform now it was not under threat of American invasion “even if Trump goes a little bit bonkers”. He added:
Of course Fidel did things that were wrong... Initially he wasn’t very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.
He was not living as a billionaire laundering money off into a Panamanian bank account or anything like that, he was good for the people.
Updated
Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants, the Associated Press reports.
Cubans fled to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista while others left with the hope they would be able to return after Castro was toppled. But he never was.
Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the US by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.
The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.
On New Year’s Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: “Next year in Cuba.” But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households.
So news of Castro’s death has long been anticipated by exiles in Miami.
Meanwhile, celebrations abound in Miami’s Little Havana, where the largest diaspora of Cuban exiles live. It is currently 4am in Florida.
Cubans march down Calle Ocho in Little Havana in Miami celebrating Fidel Castro's death (raining & almost 2am but that won't stop the party) pic.twitter.com/LxvWAuxGsO
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) November 26, 2016
Updated
Mandela Foundation sends its condolences to Cuba
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has sent its condolences to the people and government of Cuba. Remember, Mandela said the Cuban revolution was “a source of inspiration for all those who value freedom”. “We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist and orchestrated campaign to destroy the awesome force of the Cuban revolution,” he said. “Long live the Cuban Revolution! Long live comrade Fidel Castro!”
#NelsonMandela Foundation sends deepest condolences to the people & government of Cuba on passing of Fidel Castro https://t.co/5R3ySxl3MA pic.twitter.com/YeLt2zaw7f
— NelsonMandela (@NelsonMandela) November 26, 2016
Updated
Spanish government express condolences
The Spanish government has just expressed its condolences to Cuba, writes Sam Jones in Madrid.
In a measured statement released this morning, the foreign ministry said:
A figure of great historic importance has gone, a man who brought about a turning point in the country’s evolution and whose great influence was felt across the region. As the son of Spanish parents, former President Castro always maintained strong links with Spain and was bound by ties of blood and culture.
Updated
“I first met Fidel Castro when I secured the right to export Cuban cigars to Asia,” David Tang wrote in the Guardian earlier this month. “It was around 1992. We were driven to meet him in one of his homes, as he was very supportive of the Cuban cigar industry. It was a sort of bunker on the outskirts of Havana. We went downstairs into a basement that looked out on to a lowered garden, which was very beautiful.
“I arrived for dinner at around 7pm, and he was there with two interpreters, standing beside him, one at each shoulder. They would translate as we spoke – there had to be two; he talked so much that one on his own would get very tired. We stayed standing up and talking for more than two hours, by which time the two interpreters were absolutely exhausted, so two new ones were brought in. I was amazed that anybody could talk so much.
“He was utterly charming, but quite intimidating, with his enormous stature, military uniform and impressive beard. His speech was a bit rambling and he would gesticulate a lot with his hands, but he was never boring – in fact, he had me spellbound.”
Click below to read the full piece.
Updated
The Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sánchez has tweeted: “Only a few hours left until the first dawn of my life without Fidel Castro.”
#Cuba Faltan varias horas para el primer amanecer sin Fidel Castro que he vivido en mi vida... pic.twitter.com/AM7nXiWFBc
— Yoani Sánchez (@yoanisanchez) November 26, 2016
Good morning to all of you joining us in London or anywhere else in the world.
Today’s breaking news is that Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary icon, has died at the age of 90. I’m taking over the liveblog from Claire now. Stay tuned for all the key reactions and developments from 2016’s latest twist.
If there’s anything you feel we should be covering, you can contact me on Twitter @nadiakhomami.
Updated
What we know so far
- Fidel Castro, revolutionary leader of Cuba for nearly half a century, has died at the age of 90.
- The news was announced by his brother and successor as Cuban president Raúl Castro on national TV:
At 10.29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died.
- He will be cremated on Saturday, Raúl Castro added, giving no cause of death but ending the address with a revolutionary slogan:
Ever onward, to victory!
- Tributes have been paid by Latin American leaders including Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto and Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa.
- India’s prime minister Narendra Modi said the news was “tragic”, describing Castro as “one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century” and “a great friend”.
- Imran Khan, former cricketer turned leader of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said Castro was “an iconic revolutionary leader … who liberated his nation from all vestiges of imperialism”.
- But celebrations broke out in Little Havana, the Miami neighbourhood home to many Cubans in exile in the US.
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American elected to Congress, said Castro was a “tyrant and thug” and hailed his death as an opportunity to “work for a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous”.
World leaders have been tweeting in response to the death of Fidel Castro.
Enrique Peña Nieto, president of Mexico
“I lament the passing of Fidel Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban revolution and emblem of the 20th century.
“Fidel Castro was a friend of Mexico, promoter of a bilateral relationship based on respect, dialogue and solidarity.”
Lamento el fallecimiento de Fidel Castro Ruz, líder de la Revolución cubana y referente emblemático del siglo XX.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) November 26, 2016
Fidel Castro fue un amigo de México, promotor de una relación bilateral basada en el respeto, el diálogo y la solidaridad.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) November 26, 2016
Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela
“To all the revolutionaries of the world, we have to continue his legacy and his flag of independence, of socialism, of homeland.”
A tod@s l@s Revolucionari@s del Mundo nos toca seguir con su Legado y su Bandera de Independencia,de Socialismo,de Patria Humana...
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) November 26, 2016
Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador
“He was a great one. Fidel is dead. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!”
Se fue un grande. Murió Fidel.
— Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael) November 26, 2016
¡Viva Cuba! ¡Viva América Latina!
Updated
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American elected to Congress, says Castro’s death is an opportunity to “write a new chapter in the history of Cuba”:
The day that the people, both inside the island and out, have waited for has arrived: A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere…
Those who still rule Cuba with an iron grip may attempt to delay the island’s liberation, but they cannot stop it.
Tyrant + thug #FidelCastro is dead. We must work for a #Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous. My statement: https://t.co/04CCqZErTA
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) November 26, 2016
Raúl Castro, brother of Fidel Castro and his successor as president, appeared on Cuban state television late on Friday night to break the news of his death.
Wearing green military uniform, Raúl Castro announced:
At 10.29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died.
He did not give a cause of death but ended with a revolutionary slogan:
Ever onward, to victory!
Associated Press in Havana has some reaction from Cubans to the breaking news:
Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havana’s Miramar neighbourhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.
“Fidel? Fidel?” he said, slapping his head in shock. “That’s not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesn’t seem true.”
“It’s a tragedy,” said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. “We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard.”
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has tweeted his condolences on the death of Castro, whom he called “one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century” and “a great friend”:
I extend my deepest condolences to the Government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016
We stand in support with the Cuban Government and people in this tragic hour.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016
Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016
In March this year, Barack Obama became the first US president to visit Cuba since the revolution of 1959 and Castro’s ascent.
¿Que bolá Cuba? Just touched down here, looking forward to meeting and hearing directly from the Cuban people.
— President Obama (@POTUS) March 20, 2016
He did not see or speak to Fidel Castro, but did hold a number of meetings with Raúl Castro.
After the complicated visit, Fidel Castro published a dismissive response to Obama’s overtures, calling them “honey-coated” and arguing that Cubans would not forget “a ruthless blockade that has now lasted for almost 60 years”:
No one should be under the illusion that the people of this noble and selfless country will renounce its glory and its rights, and the spiritual wealth that is has gained with the development of education, science and culture.
Celebrations in Little Havana
Little Havana, the Miami neighbourhood home to many Cubans in exile in the US, is celebrating tonight (it’s around 2am there now).
Starting to be a real crowd outside Versailles in Little Havana, cars stopping to honk and cheer "Cuba Libre!" (And "el viejo murió!") pic.twitter.com/pzBvC4fdNV
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) November 26, 2016
Hundreds gathering in Little Havana at Versailles, honking horns, banging pots and pans, waving Cuban and U.S. flags. Cheers. #FidelCastro pic.twitter.com/QUnJI6KnT1
— Joey Flechas (@joeflech) November 26, 2016
Here’s how the Guardian (the Manchester Guardian, as it then was) reported the arrival of Fidel Castro into Havana on 8 January 1959.
Alistair Cooke reported:
Cuba is unlikely to recognise the Soviet Union “or any other dictatorship” as long as it is busy, which it seemed to be to-day, creating a provisional dictatorship of its own. It was Fidel Castro, the conquering rebel, who passed the snubbing remark about the Communists to-day, while his appointed president, Judge Manuel Urrutia Lleo, was dissolving the Congress and the courts and having his Cabinet draft decrees that will abolish all political parties and ban from future office all candidates in the 1954 and 1958 elections held under the auspices of the departed President Batista.
The Cabinet announced yesterday that the country will be ruled by decree for 18 months or two years, by which time – it hopes – Cuba will be ready for free elections and a go at democracy …
Meanwhile the hero himself, who has renounced all desire for “power” and is content to be the armed forces Chief of Staff, was enjoying a slow approach to Havana as thousands cheered.
For the moment, Castro is the living symbol of release from an interminably brutal and corrupt dictatorship, which was all the more dolorous in that its leader had appeared, not too many years ago, in the liberating image of Castro himself. The press and people of the United States defer only to the Cubans in their excessive celebration of a new Latin American hero; possibly because Castro looks so young and modern, and talks so gallantly: probably because on its face his victory represents the straightforward triumph of truth and heroism in a complicated world.
Imran Khan, former cricketer turned leader of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party, has tweeted a tribute to Castro:
1. Today the world lost an iconic revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who liberated his nation from all vestiges of imperialism.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 26, 2016
2. Castro reasserted the Cuban nation's dignity & self worth that withstood US aggression & became a global ldr for anti colonial struggles
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 26, 2016
3. We in Pakistan will always remember with gratitude Cuba's support on the ground in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 26, 2016
Updated
As news of Castro’s death broke late on Friday night in the Americas, reactions from across the globe are expected to roll in over the coming hours.
But verdicts on the man who ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century have long been sharply divided.
Here are just a sample of what other world leaders have said about him over the years:
John F Kennedy, 1962
Castro is not just another Latin American dictator, a petty tyrant bent merely on personal power and gain. His ambitions extend far beyond his own shores.
Hugo Chavez, 2007
Fidel, for me, is a grand master. A wise man should never die; a man like Fidel will never die, because he will always be part of the people.
Nelson Mandela, 2001
From its earliest days, the Cuban revolution has been a source of inspiration for all those who value freedom. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist and orchestrated campaign to destroy the awesome force of the Cuban revolution.
Long live the Cuban Revolution! Long live comrade Fidel Castro!
Ronald Reagan, 1986
I remember Herbert Matthews’ reports on Castro before he came to power, calling him a democrat and the hope of Cuba. And to some of you who are really too young to remember this, even people around our country were calling him the George Washington of Cuba, and George rolled over in his grave.
General Augusto Pinochet
A man of great charisma. He’s brave, Fidel Castro. A politician, with an iron fist. He stays strong. He put his close friend [General Arnaldo Ochoa, executed for treason in July 1989] in front of the firing squad.
I would have given him a life sentence or expelled him from the country, but he had him shot.
The man who famously declared “history will absolve me” leaves a divided legacy. Older Cubans who remember brutal times under Batista tend to emphasise the revolution’s accomplishments. Younger Cubans are more likely to rail against gerontocracy, repression and lost opportunity. But even they refer to Castro by the more intimate name of Fidel.
Since largely vanishing from public view he has been a spectral presence, occasionally surfacing in what became a trademark tracksuit, to urge faith in the revolution. It was a long goodbye which accustomed Cubans to his mortality.
Exiles in Florida, the heart of the diaspora which fled communist rule, are expected to celebrate. Previous false reports of Castro’s death triggered cavalcades of cheering, flag-waving revellers.
Latin America’s leftist leaders, in contrast, will mourn the passing of a figure who was perceived less as a communist and more as a nationalist symbol of regional pride and defiance against the gringo superpower.
Here is video of that announcement on Cuban TV of the death of Fidel Castro.
His brother, President Raúl Castro, said the former revolutionary leader had died at 10.29pm on Friday.
Información de Raúl Castro sobre el fallecimiento del líder de la Revolución Cubana #FidelCastro #Cuba pic.twitter.com/vSwWY3gdiH
— CubanitoenCuba (@CubanitoenCuba) November 26, 2016
AFP reports that Castro’s body will be cremated on Saturday, citing Raúl Castro.
This image shows Raúl Castro – who succeeded his brother as Cuba’s president in 2008 – announcing news of the death on national TV:
Raúl Castro announces the death of his brother #FidelCastro on Cuban national TV (via @franceinfo) pic.twitter.com/I3zOuu0A12
— Claire Phipps (@Claire_Phipps) November 26, 2016
Some reaction from Florida, home of many Cubans in exile. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, senior Republican representative for the state, tweeted:
We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of #Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) November 26, 2016
While Castro’s brother remains in charge in Cuba, little can change, she added:
Un día tenía q pasar. Pero la muerte de un dictador mientras que su hermano mantiene la misma opresión contra el pueblo cubano no es cambio
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) November 26, 2016
And Cuban-born former baseball player José Canseco tweeted:
I was born in Cuba and Fidel Castro was our leader. Came to the USA because of him.
— Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016
No further details were given on Cuban state TV, beyond the news that Fidel Castro – for so long the country’s defining figure – had died on Friday evening.
In April this year, Castro appeared at the close of the Communist party congress in Havana and alluded to the fact he would not be around for ever:
I’ll be 90 years old soon. Soon I’ll be like all the others.
The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need, and we need to fight without truce to obtain them.
The announcement was long expected, given the former president’s age and health problems, but when it came it was still a shock: the comandante – a figurehead for armed struggle across the developing world – was no more. It was news that friends and foes had long dreaded and yearned for respectively.
The Communist party and state apparatus has prepared for this moment since July 2006 when Castro underwent emergency intestinal surgery and ceded power to his brother, Raúl, who remains in charge.
Fidel wrote occasional columns for the party paper, Granma, and made very occasional public appearances – most recently at the 2016 Communist party congress – but otherwise remained invisible.
Confirmation of his death will trigger celebrations in Miami, the centre of Cuba’s exile community, and mourning among leftwing admirers around the world. For many Cubans on the island who grew up in his shadow, simultaneously respecting and resenting him, it will be a moment of profound ambivalence.
Castro died on Friday evening, his brother Raúl announced on national television.
The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died 10.29pm tonight.
Updated
Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90, Cuban state television has announced, ending an era for the country.
We will have all the reaction and fallout as Cuba, Latin America and the wider world learns of the death of a revolutionary and controversial figure.
