- Title: Young Fidel Castro fan marks his idol's 91st birthday anniversary
- Date: 11th August 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FIDEL CASTRO'S CHILD FAN, MARLON MENDEZ, SAYING: "I'm celebrating because Fidel is the father of all Cubans. He's a friend, he's a father. Fidel for me is everything."
- Embargoed: 25th August 2017 16:17
- Keywords: boy dresses up Fidel Castro Castro's birthday Marlon Mendez 91st birthday
- Location: ARTEMISA, CUBA
- City: ARTEMISA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0046TPQNUR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An 11-year-old Cuban boy who is a super-fan of Fidel Castro held an event - together with friends and family - on Thursday (August 10) at his house in the village of San Antonio de los Banos, to celebrate what would've been the 91st birthday of the late Cuban leader.
About 100 people, including neighbours, friends and guests attended the event dedicated to the memory of the Cuban leader, who died on November 25, 2016 and whose birthday would've been on Sunday, August 13.
Mendez, who personally met Fidel when he was 8 years old in August 2014, led the homage in the street next to his house. Mendez, started collecting photos and other related Fidel memorabilia from the age of three, which he displays at his house. Among the photos displayed are ones taken when Mendez visited the retired leader at this home?
Besides the exhibition, a concert featuring dance routines with children from the community, were held.
Born in 2005 in the town of San Antonio de los Banos, located in Artemisa, a province to the west of Havana, Mendez was not even one-year-old when Fidel Castro left power in July 2006 due to an intestinal illness and withdrew from public life.
His initiative is the first to publicly mark Fidel's birth anniversary before dozens of events are held across the country are held. Concerts, exhibitions, book presentations and other activities are usually organised by Cuban authorities. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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