Communism’s most inspirational leader in action for over half a century has departed, aged 90, leaving his nation more in want and less in comfort. Cubans’ response to Fidel Castro’s leadership since 1959 was mixed, just as his actions produced mixed results. Cuba lost out in the race for progress and development.
Consistency, however, was part of Castro’s creed. He kept the fight against his belief’s ‘enemy’ America till his last breath.
His socialist push made sure that wealth was equally distributed, unlike most other communist countries. Health care was at appreciable levels, and political stability at its best for half a century through a pro-proletarian push.
Castro propped up the Cuban economy with generous help from the Soviet Union. The break-up of the USSR and the events after that left Castro struggling for funds, his health turning worse, and his brother Raul Castro taking charge for a short interregnum first, and full charge since 2006.
Castro’s military support helped end the white domination of and Apartheid in Africa. His failure was essentially in raising the standards of living of his people. When he stepped aside, the average salary of a government employee was no more than 25 dollars, or less than Rs2,000 — a small sum, even granted that subsidies and rationing systems held sway.
There had to be queues even for a scoop of ice cream in a nation where everything was rationed in limits. He never allowed Cuba to be seen as a puppet of the USSR. He achieved this primarily by his larger than life personality.
He allowed Russian missiles to be placed, targeting the US, in a Cuban island nearly 150km from the US shore. However, Castro’s showdown against the US during John F Kennedy’s Presidency and the resultant Bay of Pigs face-off is an important part of modern history.
Comrades in arms with Ernesto Che’ Guevara, Fidel’s struggle for a Communist takeover of Cuba had pushed the world to the brink of a major conflagration. Castro had claimed to have outlived over 60 coup attempts inspired by the CIA.
Cigars symbolised Castro’s figure, for his full life, but in the end, he said he would recommend its use only to an enemy. Castro had the revolutionary spirit that marked him as a leader of a whole generation in the 20th Century. He lived a hero and died a hero.
