After 50yrs of tyrannical rule and 638 bids to kills him, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro dies in bed aged 90
The former Cuban leader died today at the age of 90 just ten days after he was last pictured
CUBAN icon Fidel Castro died peacefully in bed aged 90 yesterday — after surviving 638 assassination bids.
The cigar-smoking revolutionary, who pushed the world to the edge of nuclear war, was damned and feted across the globe.
His enemies were last night toasting the death of a blood-soaked tyrant guilty of murdering hundreds of political opponents and oppressing his impoverished people.
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Castro was born on August 13, 1926, in Cuba. A lifelong Marxist, he trained as a lawyer but was jailed after attacking a barracks with brother Raul and fled to Mexico on release.
He returned alongside legendary guerilla leader Che Guevara and a rebel army to seize power in 1959. He was Prime Minister until 1976, when he became President.
He immediately ordered the executions of 582 opponents, shut independent media and herded gay people into “re-education” camps. Later, HIV-positive citizens were quarantined.
In 1962, he invited Russian nuclear missiles to be based on Cuba, just 90 miles from the hated US.
Worldwide tensions soared as President John F Kennedy imposed a naval blockade of Cuba until Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev took back the nukes after a 13-day stand-off.
By 1964 Castro was holding 15,000 political prisoners and hundreds of thousands of Cubans had fled, including his own daughter and sister.
His lengthy hectoring speeches became the soundtrack for his people at the mercy of his hardline dogma and crippling poverty sparked by his disastrous economic experiments.
The CIA ran a covert programme to kill him for years code-named Operation Mongoose.
Attempts included cigars laced with toxins, a scuba-diving suit infected with killer bacteria and a booby-trapped shell on the sea bed.
Spies also tried planting an exploding cigar and a pen concealing a poison-loaded hypodermic syringe.
Castro and first wife Mirta Diaz Balart had one son and divorced in 1956 before his 40-year relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle which produced five sons. They married in 1980.
While many of his supporters believed Castro lived frugally, the dictator enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle.
He had a private island, Cayo Piedra, which was dubbed “The Garden of Eden” and was served by his luxury yacht, the Aquarama II.
Juan Sanchez, his bodyguard for 17 years, said: “Castro would sit in his large leather director’s armchair, a glass of Chivas Regal on the rocks (his favourite drink) in his hand.
“He suggested the revolution gave him no rest, and he despised the bourgeois concept of holidays. He lies.”
Castro also owned a vast estate in Havana complete with rooftop bowling alley, basketball court and fully equipped medical centre, and a luxury bungalow with private marina.
The Cuban leader kept a gun at his feet when travelling and never went anywhere without at least ten bodyguards, including two blood donors.
He delegated his presidential duties to Raul in 2006 as he recovered from surgery for intestinal bleeding.
On his 80th birthday that year he said: “I’m really happy to reach 80. I never expected it, not least having a neighbour — the greatest power in the world — trying to kill me every day.”
He finally stepped down altogether in 2008.
His 49 years in power made him the world’s longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.
Raul, 85, yesterday shook with emotion as he declared the passing of “El Comandante” on state TV.
A period of official mourning was declared until December 4.
Since taking the reins, Raul has introduced economic reforms and engineered a thaw in US relations. Barack Obama said yesterday: “We know this moment fills Cubans with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which he altered individual lives.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said of Castro: “His memory will forever remain in the hearts of the citizens of Russia.”
Labour ex-mayor Ken Livingstone, who visited Cuba but never met Castro, led UK tributes.
He said: “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.”
In Miami, home to a large Cuban community, there were celebrations, with people banging pots and cheering. Cuban exile group the Cuban Democratic Directorate said Castro set up a “vicious totalitarian regime”.
But his death left some in Havana stunned.
“I always said it couldn’t be”, said one visibly upset woman, a government employee. “Even though they said it now, I say it can’t be.”
He put U.S. at the edge of nuclear war
AUG 13, 1926 Born Fidel Castro Ruz in east Cuba hamlet Biran, illegitimate son of Spanish-born landowner and farm servant mum.
JULY 1953 Leads failed armed uprising against military dictator Fulgencio Batista. Jailed but later released.
DEC 1956 Launches guerilla war backed by brother Raul and Che Guevara.
JAN 1959 Enters Havana in triumph as Batista flees to Dominican Republic.
APRIL 1961 Declares socialist revolution after US breaks diplomatic ties. Defeats invasion by 1,400 CIA-backed Cuban exiles at Bay of Pigs. Victory makes him a hero in Russia.
OCT 1962 Spy planes spot Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, sparking terrifying stand-off between US and Russia. World holds its breath for 13 days as President John F Kennedy blockades Cuba until Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev withdraws nukes.
OCT 1967 Guevara executed in Bolivia trying to lead Cuba-style guerilla uprising.
1975 Castro sends troops to Angola to help leftist government fight South Africa-backed rebels.
1976 Becomes president, ratified by new National Assembly.
SUMMER 1980 Allows the Mariel boatlift — exodus of 125,000 Cubans to US mostly from port of Mariel.
1991 Cuba plunged into economic crisis by collapse of Soviet Union.
AUG-SEPT 1994 More than 35,000 flee Cuba in rafts and boats during summer crisis. Prompts migration agreement with US.
JUNE 2001 Castro has fainting fit two hours into speech at public rally.
MARCH 2003 Jails 75 democracy activists and journalists in crackdown on dissidents.
JULY 2006 Forced to hand over power to brother Raul after emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding.
FEB 2008 19 months after last public appearance, says he will not return as head of state and government.
NOV 26, 2016 Dies peacefully at home.
Marxist's merchandise
CASTRO fans created a merchandise industry his capitalist enemies would have loved.
Generations of lefties have been snapping up Castro T-shirts, posters, mugs, key rings, badges and stationery.
Top sellers are T-shirts of the cigar-loving Marxist and sidekick Che Guevara. They were on UK websites yesterday for £15.50, alongside Andy Warhol-style Castro posters for £10 and mugs for £7.
But US right-wingers have built an anti-Castro market and are celebrating his demise. A T-shirt on sale last night read simply:
“Bye-bye Fidel.”