http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38114953

Whether you consider Castro a great leader or not, he is a vital symbol of Cuba to this very day.

It really is the end of an era. That guy stuck it out for a while but not even he could withstand the year 2016.

In true dictator style, he temporarily handed over power to his brother in 2006 as he was recovering from an acute intestinal ailment.

I'm pretty sure he was replaced by a body double in 2006.

Well, at least he didn't die brutally.

RIP Castro.  :\'( He was a good leader for the Cuban people and was good friend's with Pierre Trudeau.

RIP Castro.  :\'( He was a good leader for the Cuban people and was good friend's with Pierre Trudeau.


You're the first Albertan I've met that likes Pierre Trudeau, let alone Castro ;D

I'm pretty sure he was replaced by a body double in 2006.


I don't appreciate your subtle sexual innuendos.

I don't appreciate your subtle sexual innuendos.


I would be inFidèle with Castro if you know what I mean giggity giggity.

I would be inFidèle with Castro if you know what I mean giggity giggity.


Ewwwwwww.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbCAEnPHJ9huG-z79ns82eQ3C3iGGAw-8K5gc9qLgQMMsaZF5uMw

I would be inFidèle with Castro if you know what I mean giggity giggity.


There's a reason why ol' Fidel was called El Caballo.  ;D

You're the first Albertan I've met that likes Pierre Trudeau, let alone Castro ;D

He accomplished a lot for Cuba. He did very well against all odds in my opinion. And now communism is forever dead.  :-[ Cuba will never be the same. I'm very sad he's gone. He's probably in heaven with Tito and other good communist leaders now.

He accomplished a lot for Cuba. He did very well against all odds in my opinion. And now communism is forever dead.  :-[ Cuba will never be the same. I'm very sad he's gone. He's probably in heaven with Tito and other good communist leaders now.
If a dictatorship that suppresses everyone who isn't with it, stifles the economy and makes it's people live in misery is communism then I'm sure glad communism is dead. East Germany had it's share of communism/socialism. It didn't work for the greater good of the people but just it's own goals. No other opinion was allowed, the economy was bad and if you have to build walls and fences with drone guns, sniper crewed sentry towers and mine fields to keep your own people from fleeing your own country then you're doing it wrong, period.
I don't remember many people fleeing to Cuba but there sure are plenty who ran away from it.

He accomplished a lot for Cuba. He did very well against all odds in my opinion. And now communism is forever dead.  :-[ Cuba will never be the same. I'm very sad he's gone. He's probably in heaven with Tito and other good communist leaders now.


He did such a great job that for the past 57 years, "boat people" have been risking their lives just to get out of Cuba.

He accomplished a lot for Cuba. He did very well against all odds in my opinion. And now communism is forever dead.  :-[ Cuba will never be the same. I'm very sad he's gone. He's probably in heaven with Tito and other good communist leaders now.


Uh.. Cuba is still communist. Plus, Raul Castro (Fidel's brother) is still leading the country. Also, there's countries like North Korea that are still communist to this day. It's just that communism was largely different during the Soviet era (1917-1991).

Uh.. Cuba is still communist. Plus, Raul Castro (Fidel's brother) is still leading the country. Also, there's countries like North Korea that are still communist to this day. It's just that communism was largely different during the Soviet era (1917-1991).

Umm What are you talking about? North Korea isn't communist... It's the opposite, right wing totalitarianism... How did you get the idea that North Korea is communist? Also Cuba will not be communist for long and already things are changing. There's NOT a single communist country left in the world... It's basic politics. Cuba was the last remaining communist country. Now there are no more. And don't compare Castro the hero to that evil Kim Jong Un from North Korea.

If a dictatorship that suppresses everyone who isn't with it, stifles the economy and makes it's people live in misery is communism then I'm sure glad communism is dead. East Germany had it's share of communism/socialism. It didn't work for the greater good of the people but just it's own goals. No other opinion was allowed, the economy was bad and if you have to build walls and fences with drone guns, sniper crewed sentry towers and mine fields to keep your own people from fleeing your own country then you're doing it wrong, period.
I don't remember many people fleeing to Cuba but there sure are plenty who ran away from it.

You've been watching too much American propoganda. He never hurt his people. The reason the country is so poor is the U.S.'s fault.

He did such a great job that for the past 57 years, "boat people" have been risking their lives just to get out of Cuba.

Again, more U.S. propoganda exaggerating the amount of people who were trying to leave.

You've been watching too much American propoganda. He never hurt his people. The reason the country is so poor is the U.S.'s fault.
Are you kidding me? Ok I'Ve not been in Cuba but I've been to the German Democratic Republic while it was still standing, I've seen the Berlin wall and the sniper towers, the fences along the border, the so called Todesstreifen (death strip) and I've talked to a lot of people after reunification. Non of them told me that nothing of this sort happened. Hell even Honecker's wife admitted that people got killed trying to cross the border and were spied upon to find dissidents. The Stasi has had it's own prison system and most of their files are still available for studying so it's in their own writing and they didn't even try to hide it after the facts got out. But sure, that was just an accident and never happened in any other communist country, right?
Who's full of propaganda now? Have YOU actually been to a communist/socialist country and talked to the people?
I need to get my blood pressure down now. >:(

Are you kidding me? Ok I'Ve not been in Cuba but I've been to the German Democratic Republic while it was still standing, I've seen the Berlin wall and the sniper towers, the fences along the border, the so called Todesstreifen (death strip) and I've talked to a lot of people after reunification. Non of them told me that nothing of this sort happened. Hell even Honecker's wife admitted that people got killed trying to cross the border and were spied upon to find dissidents. The Stasi has had it's own prison system and most of their files are still available for studying so it's in their own writing and they didn't even try to hide it after the facts got out. But sure, that was just an accident and never happened in any other communist country, right?
Who's full of propaganda now? Have YOU actually been to a communist/socialist country and talked to the people?
I need to get my blood pressure down now. >:(

Yes I have, many times. I visit Cuba every winter. And no, the people don't hate Castro. The U.S. makes up stories and exaggerates things because of the communism vs. capitalism war. They also put up sanctions against Cuba so that's why it's so poor. Like I said he is a hero through my eyes, but I respect your opinion too. Also like I said Cuba is the last remaining communist country, not sure why NYE thinks it isn't.

Umm What are you talking about? North Korea isn't communist... It's the opposite, right wing totalitarianism... How did you get the idea that North Korea is communist? Also Cuba will not be communist for long and already things are changing. There's NOT a single communist country left in the world... It's basic politics. Cuba was the last remaining communist country. Now there are no more. And don't compare Castro the hero to that evil Kim Jong Un from North Korea.


Then how come North Korea is labeled as a one-party socialist state? For one thing, they're slightly communist and they were lead by the Soviet Union after World War II. Same with Cuba, as the Soviet Union funded their country until the Soviets dissolved in 1991. Also, what the hell did Castro even do with Cuba after the country's revolution? Before Cuba even had the Communist revolution, they were considered a paradise to every country. Nowadays since 1959, they aren't friendly towards the United States. We just started to be more positive towards Cuba last year. It was extremely worse in the late 20th century. If that isn't enough, look at the Cubans who immigrated to Miami and other places in Florida. How do you think that place has a noticeable amount of Cuban immigrants, if Castro is "doing well", by your logic?

Yes I have, many times. I visit Cuba every winter. And no, the people don't hate Castro. The U.S. makes up stories and exaggerates things because of the communism vs. capitalism war. They also put up sanctions against Cuba so that's why it's so poor. Like I said he is a hero through my eyes, but I respect your opinion too. Also like I said Cuba is the last remaining communist country, not sure why NYE thinks it isn't.


Because North Korea was pro-Soviet Union, which was the most powerful union for communists. Even with that, they don't have a lot of freedom of speech, just like Cuba, to protest against their leaders. They could take down the protestors, and they would never be seen again in their own country.

Then how come North Korea is labeled as a one-party socialist state? For one thing, they're slightly communist and they were lead by the Soviet Union after World War II. Same with Cuba, as the Soviet Union funded their country until the Soviets dissolved in 1991. Also, what the hell did Castro even do with Cuba after the country's revolution? Before Cuba even had the Communist revolution, they were considered a paradise to every country. Nowadays since 1959, they aren't friendly towards the United States. We just started to be more positive towards Cuba last year. It was extremely worse in the late 20th century. If that isn't enough, look at the Cubans who immigrated to Miami and other places in Florida. How do you think that place has a noticeable amount of Cuban immigrants, if Castro is "doing well", by your logic?

North Korea isn't socialist though, it's the complete opposite. It's dictatorship in its worst form, with super right wing fascist ideologies. Another example of a capitalist dictatorship is China. North Korea is labeled as a single party state, but not socialist one. They aren't communist at all, they were a long time ago back in that era after World War 2 but aren't anymore, same with China.

Cuba is a different story. Cuba was always socialist and communist and the last country to do when Castro was in power. In fact, when Castro did an interview with someone on CBC they asked him "how do you feel about being the last communist leader in the world" and he said "I'm very proud of it" or something like that lol. Also there are different kinds of communism. The type that was run by Stalin is obviously evil and bad.

You've got the opposite. Batista was going to ruin Cuba and Castro saved it. He was a hero and the only leader in the world who has the guts to stand up to the U.S. The U.S. is unfriendly towards Cuba, not the other way around. They put up sanctions so now Cuba is very poor. You have no idea how terrible the U.S. treated Cuba during the cold war just because they had a communist system. The U.S. is intolerant with other perspectives and systems if it isn't democracy or capitalism, and they will use their power to ruin countries who don't agree with them like they did to Cuba. So Cuba didn't do this to themselves, the U.S. did.

The amount of Cubans who immigrated is always exaggerated. I went to Cuba and many of them are fine with the politics. Think about it, absolutely free health care and free university for all citizens. Even food is paid for them! Cubans don't hate Castro, that's what the U.S. media wants you to think. The people are unfortunately very poor because of the fault of the U.S.

I honestly think Cuba is going to get worse and worse now that communism is dying. It will no longer be a unique place and Varadero may end up like the next Cancun, filled with generic U.S. companies/brands and capitalism. By the way, when I visit Cuba the people there are like nowhere else. Genuinely amazing warm hearts, by far the nicest people in the world. You should really hear the perspective of real Cubans rather than using the popular opinion of Americans that were put into people's brains by propaganda. Castro was not perfect by any means and the system was not perfect, but he wanted the best for his country and that's why I will really miss him. I also prefer democracy but communism is okay too if it is used for the common good. Yougoslavia is another example of good communism.

Sorry about all of this, but I have a huge interest and passion for left wing politics. I must be the most left wing person on here maybe next to Slowpoke.  ;D

You have no idea how terrible the U.S. treated Cuba during the cold war just because they had a communist system. The U.S. is intolerant with other perspectives and systems if it isn't democracy or capitalism, and they will use their power to ruin countries who don't agree with them like they did to Cuba. So Cuba didn't do this to themselves, the U.S. did.


Then what about the Bay of Pigs? What about the threats that Cuba (along with other Marxist-Leninist countries at the time) sent to America? I already know that the U.S. is one of the most pro-capitalist countries in the whole world. But Cuba was already devastated, especially during the rise of communism. They never got any new cars since the 60s, and people were already suspicious of the government.


I honestly think Cuba is going to get worse and worse now that communism is dying. It will no longer be a unique place and Varadero may end up like the next Cancun, filled with generic U.S. companies/brands and capitalism. By the way, when I visit Cuba the people there are like nowhere else. Genuinely amazing warm hearts, by far the nicest people in the world. You should really hear the perspective of real Cubans rather than using the popular opinion of Americans that were put into people's brains by propaganda. Castro was not perfect by any means and the system was not perfect, but he wanted the best for his country and that's why I will really miss him. I also prefer democracy but communism is okay too if it is used for the common good. Yougoslavia is another example of good communism.


Then how come communism died off during the early 90s? Think about it. The Soviet Union wasn't very good throughout the 80s and very early 90s when it started to die off. East and West Germany despised the Berlin Wall so much. All because of communism. Every nation started to nationalize their way out of the Soviet Union, and they were all successful by the end of 1991. Face it, communism was just a political fad that only took off during the mid and late 20th century. It never survived for a very long time compared to democracy. Nowadays, even Russia is acceptable over democracy, especially when it's ran by Putin, who was a former KGB agent.

You've been watching too much American propoganda. He never hurt his people. The reason the country is so poor is the U.S.'s fault.


Yup. It was the U.S. who made Castro such a strong force. If they lifted the embargo DECADES ago, the U.S. would have had much more influence in that country. But, by holding on to the embargo, they kept Castro in power-something that the embargo was SUPPOSED to end. What cracks me up is a few years ago when Obama wanted to lift the embargo, many people screamed about it. If it didn't work for the last 50 years, what makes them think it would work for the next 50?  ::)



Cat

Yup. It was the U.S. who made Castro such a strong force. If they lifted the embargo DECADES ago, the U.S. would have had much more influence in that country. But, by holding on to the embargo, they kept Castro in power-something that the embargo was SUPPOSED to end. What cracks me up is a few years ago when Obama wanted to lift the embargo, many people screamed about it. If it didn't work for the last 50 years, what makes them think it would work for the next 50?  ::)



Cat


Well, this is the United States that we're talking about. Even if they had beef with Cuba (and other communist countries) during the mid and late 1900s, they would still have it to this day. It would probably take a while to have the U.S. move on from it. Although, now that I think about it, it's no wonder why America is ridiculed by a lot of communist (and fascist) countries. But even then, they make fun of other capitalist countries (such as those in Europe) as well.

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.
Large crowds shouting 'Long live Fidel!" greeted his funeral cortege.
Thousands are expected to pay their final respects shortly at a ceremony in the city's Revolution Square.
President Raul Castro will lead the tributes. He took over when his brother's health deteriorated in 2006.
Fidel Castro's ashes will be buried on Sunday.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38198834