- Title: Cubans pay last respects to Fidel Castro
- Date: 28th November 2016
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (NOVEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CUBANS WALKING PAST ALTAR TO FIDEL CASTRO AT REVOLUTION SQUARE WITH PHOTOGRAPH, MEDALS AND MILITARY HONOUR GUARD CUBANS ON LINE OUTSIDE REVOLUTION SQUARE AND UP RAMP WITH JOSE MARTI MEMORIAL IN BACKGROUND CUBANS, MANY HOLDING UMBRELLAS, ON LINE ON RAMP UP HILL AT REVOLUTION SQUARE MOURNERS ON LINE UP RAMP WITH CUBAN FLAG AT HALF-STAFF AND JOSE MARTI STATUE IN BACKGROUND CROWDS ARRIVING AT REVOLUTION SQUARE SHOUTING: "FIDEL, FIDEL" PEOPLE LINING UP CROWD HOLDING CUBAN FLAGS AND SHOUTING IN SUPPORT OF FIDEL CASTRO (UNINTELLIGIBLE) CUBAN WITH "FIDEL" WRITTEN ACROSS FACE A WOMAN HOLDING A SIGN WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF FIDEL CASTRO READING (IN SPANISH): "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING" PEOPLE WALKING IN LINE VARIOUS OF EX-COMBATANT AT THE BAY OF PIGS, JUAN MARTINEZ MORE, 82, IN UNIFORM WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF CASTRO ON HIS POCKET CLOSE-UP OF PHOTOGRAPH OF CASTRO ON POCKET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FORMER BAY OF PIGS COMBATANT, JUAN MARTINEZ MORE, SAYING: "Today is a painful day for me because we have lost our commander in chief, physically, because we have him and will always have him in our hearts." VARIOUS OF WOMEN WITH "FIDEL" PAINTED ON THEIR CHEEKS PEOPLE ADVANCING IN LINE HOLDING CUBAN FLAGS VARIOUS GENERAL VIEWS OF LINE OF PEOPLE WITH STATUE OF JOSE MARTI BEHIND IN REVOLUTION SQUARE
- Embargoed: 13th December 2016 19:58
- Keywords: Fidel Castro death Bay of Pigs soldier
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015AD1N47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDIT CONTAINS VIDEO THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
Tens of thousands of Cubans paid final respects on Monday (November 28) to Fidel Castro, who led a leftist revolution, ruled for half a century and resisted the United States throughout the Cold War.
Castro died on Friday at the age of 90, a decade after stepping down due to poor health and ceding power to his brother Raul Castro. While he had been retired as an active leader, his death removed any impediment on his brother to pursue deeper relations with Washington if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump warms to the idea of improved ties.
Castro was admired by leftists and people of the developing world who saw him as a revolutionary champion of the poor, but vilified by those who viewed him as a dictator who oppressed Cubans and ruined the economy through socialism.
The government invited people to the square for a two-day commemoration that started with cannon blasts heard throughout much of the capital.
Among them was Juan Martinez More, 82, who defended Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, a failed CIA-sponsored military invasion in 1961.
"Today is a painful day for me because we have lost our commander in chief, physically, because we have him and will always have him in our hearts," said More.
Castro was cremated on Saturday and the government has declared a nine-day period of mourning. His ashes will be carried in a cortege to a final resting place in Santiago de Cuba, the city in eastern Cuba where he launched the revolution.
Some arrived as early as 4 a.m. to be at the head of one of three lines of mourners entering a square that has been central to Cuba's recent history, and where Castro gave many of his rousing, lengthy speeches.
Political opponents stayed away or kept quiet, allowing admirers to say goodbye to a man who elevated the island to the world stage during the Cold War by forging a communist-run state just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida and then resisting Washington's long efforts to force change. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
