- Title: Cuban students rally to honour the late Fidel Castro
- Date: 26th November 2016
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (NOVEMBER 26, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNIVERSITY OF HAVANA STUDENTS CHANTING SLOGANS FOR FIDEL CASTRO (UNINTELLIGIBLE) STUDENTS HOLDING FLAGS HONOURING FIDEL CASTRO'S JULY 26 MOVEMENT STUDENT ACTIVIST CHANTING, "WE ARE FIDEL; I AM FIDEL" (NOT A SOUNDBITE) ROW OF STUDENTS CHANTING, "I AM FIDEL" PORTRAITS OF FIDEL CASTRO ALONGSIDE ALMA MATER STATUE AT UNIVERSITY OF HAVANA YOUNG WOMAN CRYING POSTERS OF FIDEL CASTRO VARIOUS OF WOMEN CRYING STUDENTS HOLDING CUBAN FLAG ON UNIVERSITY STEPS
- Embargoed: 11th December 2016 17:32
- Keywords: Fidel Castro University of Havana activists July 26 Malecon
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015A2ZSCN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: After a decade of effective retirement, Fidel Castro has passed away at 90 years of age. But his revolution is as alive as ever for students of the University of Havana.
Students organised a rally Saturday (November 26) at the University of Havana and gathered around Cuban flags as well as a banner honouring Castro's July 26 movement that fuelled his 1959 revolution.
The students chanted, "I am Fidel" and "We are Fidel."
A towering figure of the 20th century and Cold War icon, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that struggled against colonial rule.
Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother, Raul, two years later.
Wearing a green military uniform, a somber Raul Castro, 85, appeared on state television on Friday night to announce Fidel's death, 60 years to the day since the two brothers and a few supporters left Mexico on a boat to bring revolution to Cuba.
Tributes came in from around the world.
Venezuela's leftist President Nicolas Maduro urged "revolutionaries of the world" to follow Castro's legacy, while Pope Francis said he was grieving and praying for the repose of the professed atheist, whom he met in Cuba last year.
Raul Castro, who glorified his older brother, has changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.
It remained unclear whether Trump would continue efforts to normalize relations with Cuba or fulfill a campaign promise to close the U.S. embassy in Havana once again.
Fidel Castro himself offered only lukewarm support for the 2014 deal with Washington, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy.
He did not meet Barack Obama when he visited Havana earlier this year, the first time an American president had stepped foot on Cuban soil since 1928.
Days later, Castro wrote a scathing newspaper column condemning Obama's "honey-coated" words and reminding Cubans of the U.S. efforts to overthrow and weaken the Communist government.
News of Castro's death spread slowly among Friday night revelers on the streets of Havana. One famous club that was still open when word came in quickly closed.
Castro's body will be cremated, according to his wishes.
Cuba declared nine days of mourning, during which time the ashes will be taken to different parts of the country. A burial ceremony will be held on Dec. 4. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
