(VOVworld)-International friends are mourning the death of Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. From their perspectives, Castro is one of the greatest revolutionaries of the 20th century and a staunch man, who spent his whole life struggling for national independence.
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Cuba has declared 9 days of national mourning for Fidel Castro
(Photo: AP) |
Born on August 13, 1926, Fidel Castro had shown an interest in politics since he was a law student at Havana University. However, Castro remained an unknown political figure until he led an attack on the Moncada barracks in July, 1953. Though the attack failed, Castro was consistent with his chosen path and successfully rallied forces to carry out the historic revolution to overthrow the Batista dictatorship regime in 1959, laying the foundation for a Cuban state of independence and freedom.
Fidel Castro is one of a few people in the world, who become legends when they were still alive. The late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said “For me, Castro is a great teacher. He is immortal because he will always be part of the people”. The late South African President Nelson Mandela stated that the Cuban revolution has been a great source of encouragement for all who fight for freedom. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Fidel Castro an emblematic figure of the Cuban revolution, prominent in Latin America and influential in world affairs. Ban said as Prime Minister, President, Commander of the Cuban Armed Forces and First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, Fidel Castro’s role at the helm of Cuba spanned nearly 50 years, during which he left a major imprint on his country and on global politics. French President Francois Hollande described Fidel Castro as a towering figure of the 20th century, while Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the Cuban leader as a “great man of our time”, emphasizing that history and people will remember him. In a message of condolences, the Party Central Committee, the State President, the Government and the National Assembly Standing Committee of Vietnam affirmed that Fidel Castro successfully upheld the noble causes of Simon Bolivar, Jose Marti and other Cuban and Latin American revolutionaries. Bolivian President Evo Morales noted that Fidel Castro left behind a legacy of struggling for equality for all nations. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Fidel Castro entered the history of mankind as a leader who always fought for dignity, national independence and sovereignty.
Cuba has declared 9 days of national mourning for Fidel Castro. The leader’s ashes will be buried on December 4 in Santiago de Cuba.