Analy Morales

November 2016
US History

Current Event Post 7

Fidel Castro, Cuban Dictator, Dies at 90
Kevin Sullivan

Fidel Castro, led two Cuban revolutions, one which was successful. His
death was announced on Cuban state television by Raul Castro, his younger
brother (took Fidels power for 10 years as the countries leader). No cause of
death was announced although it was known that Fidel Castro had health
issues. In order to follow through on the Article analysis, here is a small
timeline of Fidels life.

His father, a Spanish, wealthy landowner had a sugar plantation where

he grew up.
Castro then starts an unsuccessful revolt that sends him to jail for less
than two years.
When he is given amnesty; he flees to Mexico where him and 81 others
plan the revolt.
Former President of Cuba, Batista, flees to the Dominican Republic
while Fidel Castro takes charge and kicks the United States breaking
diplomatic ties with the Havana.
Cuba is declaring socialism in constitutional amendment passed by the
National Assembly.
Fidel Castro is forced to hand over his position to his brother after
having to undergo emergency surgery. He tells his country he will soon
take his position back.
Castro publicly announces he will not return as head of state.

Fidel was a romantic Figure in olive-drab fatigues and combat boots,

chomping monstrous cigars through a bushy black beard. He was a Hero to
his followers who demanded the poor be equal to the wealthy. His people
praised him for giving them a free education, feeding them and providing
health care more fairly and generously than the worlds wealthy nations.
But he was also heavily hated by his own people. He was amongst the
worlds most oppressive leaders, a president for life as he had announced
himself who banned the freedom of assembly, the freedom of speech and
the freedom of press. He executed and jailed anyone who was a political
opponent. While he sent all the doctors available and all the Cuban
developed vaccines to the poorest parts of the country, he left all Cubans in

the central Havana with no medical care and with little to no supplies to live.
In July 2006, Fidel Castro handed his power temporarily to his younger
brother Raul Castro for an emergency surgery whose true purpose remained
an official secret. He was not seen in public for almost four years after his
surgery. In February 19, he resigned his long reign, giving former United
States President George W. Bush to be the first US president to outlast Fidel
Castro in power.
The United states always saw Fidel Castros reign a threat to the country but
when he resigned, President Obama announced efforts to re-establish
diplomatic relations with Havana in 2014.
The article is very judgmental of Fidel Castro. In the beginning, it seemed to
have a neutral bias but as the article kept on unfolding itself, more and more
opinions and interpretations came up. For example, Mr. Castro personally
ordered the restoration of Old Havana tourists can savor $300 boxes of
Cuban cigars, some of the worlds best music and sweet Havana club rumthe proceeds of which went to Mr. Castros revolution. But just a block behind
the restored facades, Cubans lived in crumbling homes on rationed food.
Teenage prostitutes openly offered their services to tourists. This starts by
talking about bringing tourism into the island (good thing) and using their
money for a not so good cause while people are hungry and living in terrible
conditions (bad), and then having those hungry teenagers openly offering
their services for money to have a shot at a better life (very bad!). This all
may be true but it still brings up the authors bias towards the topic. The topic
of imprisonment comes up as well. Castro loved to imprison anyone who he
thought was not worthy of free food or education. If someone was caught
handing out books on democracy, he faced up to 10 years in prison. If
someone was caught selling food, they had 7-15 years of prison ahead of
them since all the food that a family was supposed to have was supposed to
have come from the government and selling food that was not rationized was
illegal. If someone was accused of rape but all the evidence pointed to a
false accusation, they still where imprisoned under Castros laws. The author
gives the understanding that Fidels reassignment was a good thing and that
his death was also a good thing for the country. Cubans were afraid to even
speak his name since government informants lived in just about every block
and would send them to prison for talking wrongfully of their leader. Many
Cubans fled to the United states illegally, those who had enough money to
pay for a speed boat trip had it easy but others tried fleeing in rafts made by
house hold scraps.
Now this is a United States current event post but the article is about Cuban
leaders; how do they both relate? The United States would benefit from
trading or having military forces in Cuba. But the Castros seems to be

frightened by the country and see it as a threat. Cuba fears a nuclear war. As
a matter of a fact, the last time Fidel Castro spoke publicly all he spoke about
was the dangers of a nuclear war with Iran, the Korean Peninsula and with
the United States. He deeply spoke about world leaders and their visions and
why it was important to not have any ties to any of them. Most people didnt
pay attention to his speech but instead to his appearance. He had left his
cigar and was left with shaky hands and a white beard. He was no longer
wearing his usual military uniform but instead a comfortable outfit. He
basically told his country that he was dying and that they should continue his
legacy. His brother gave some space for local stores and repair shops but the
military still controls about 80-85% of Cubas economics.
"Fidel Castro, Revolutionary Leader Who Remade Cuba as a Socialist State, Dies at
90." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2016. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.