Adios Fidel

Fidel Castro died the 25 November 2016 at age of 90. He ruled over Cuba for nearly five decades, until handing off power to his younger brother Raúl in 2008.

Castro’s funeral cortege departed on a three-day, 800km journey east, retracing the route that the triumphant rebels took upon overthrowing US-backed Fulgencio Batista in 1959. The procession started from Havana, and has travelled for over 900 km along the main road named “Carretèra Central”, passing through Ciejo de Avida up to Santiago de Cuba.

Outside Havana, the caravan will pass through rural communities significantly changed by social and economic reforms he adopted. Many residents now have access to healthcare and education but he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among the exiles in Miami who saw him as a ruthless tyrant.

During the journey of Fidel’s body lasted almost 4 days, thousands of Cubans lined the streets of Havana, some sleeping on sidewalks overnight, to bid goodbye to Castro. Crowds have greeted the caravan along the whole route, with volunteers sprucing up bridges and houses with fresh paint in Castro’s honor.

Many had attended a massive rally at Havana’s Revolution Plaza, where the presidents of Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, and South Africa, along with leaders of a host of smaller countries, offered speeches paying tribute to the “Lider Maximo”.

The younger brother and now, new President Raùl Castro had spoken to the crowd and greeted his brother with Cuba’s battle cry “Hasta la victoria siempre Fidel”.