Fidel Castro mourned by millions
Garth A Rose
Leaders from across the region and beyond , gathered at the historic Plaza de Revolucion on Tuesday to pay tribute to Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died on Friday at the age of 90.
The leaders, including Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Allen Chastant as well as the presidents of Mexico, Venezuela, South Africa and Panama all paid tribute to a man described as a revolutionary.
Representatives from opposition parties also attended, including Jamaica’s Portia Simpson Miller – leader of the People’s National Party (PNP).
The death of Castro, has led to nine days of official mourning that will end with the internment of his remains at a cemetery in Santiago de Cuba on December 4.
So revered was the revolutionary leader, that schools and government offices across the island have been closed, giving employees to opportunity to pay tribute .
Castro’s urn is being taken around the country, retracing the steps in reverse of the ‘Caravan of Freedom’ – a march made by Castro and his revolutionaries in January 1959, from the city of Santiago de Cuba to Havana where they eventually took power.
On December 3, another large public gathering will mourn Castro at Plaza Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.
In Havana and across the island, condolence books have been signed and others have paid tribute at several sites. Cubans have also used this period of mourning to reaffirm their belief in socialism.
The people of Cuba, have honored Castro’s memory by abiding to the government’s restriction on the sale of alcohol and closing clubs and bars. In the meantime, while Cubans at home are in mourning, Cuban exiles are celebrating his death with song, dancing in the streets, large rallies – expressing relief at the death of the revolutionary leader. A major celebratory rally was held in the Cuban community of Little Havana in Miami-Dade on Wednesday evening, and this coming weekend the celebrations will continue even as Cubans on the island gather to pay their last respects to Fidel Castro.
