Cuba was Castro and Castro was Cuba

He made one of his last speeches in 2006

Fidel Castro has the distinction of being the longest-serving head of state in the world.

Although the United States has made strenuous efforts to get rid of Castro, who has ruled Cuba, at least ten presidents have changed in the long run.

Despite defeating communism around the world, Castro remained a living memory at America's own doorstep. 

Fidel Alejandro Castro was born on August 3, 1926, to a wealthy Cuban family who was a feudal lord by profession but with their comfortable lifestyle but in the midst of abject poverty, social segregation and other hardships were nothing short of a blow to them. And that is what made them revolutionary.

At that time, Cuba was ruled by Felgencio Batista, whose power was a symbol of corruption, degradation and inequality. Castro was determined to end it.

Cuba at that time was like a paradise for a playful person, but in reality it was like a haven for organized criminals. Prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking were common there.

Castro and his revolutionary group planned to launch a large-scale guerrilla campaign from their base in the Serramastia Mountains, south of present-day Guantanamo Bay.

On July 2, 1959, the same rebel forces entered Havana, the capital of Cuba. As a result, Castro won, Batista had to flee, and Cuba got a new government. This success was also achieved by the Argentine revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, who took part in Castro's revolutionary movement and later became part of the government. 

Cuba's new rulers have promised to return people's lands and protect the rights of the poor. But soon the scenario changed, the government imposed a one-party system in the country, which resulted in hundreds of people being imprisoned and labor camps being filled with political prisoners. Not only that, thousands of people had to go into exile.

Tilt east

Fidel Castro jumps from a tank during the Bay of Pig uprising 

Castro claimed that the Cuban people were paramount in his ideology. 

He once said: "Democracy and social justice are represented in a well-planned economy, not by communism and Marxism." 

In 1960, Fidel Castro nationalized all businesses in Cuba that were originally owned by the United States. In response, the United States imposed trade sanctions on Cuba, which began to rise in recent years under President Barack Obama.

Castro claimed that he was forced to make contact with Soviet leader Nikita Crusoe, but many analysts say that Castro voluntarily embraced the Soviet Union.

Regardless of the motives behind their move, Cuba became a Cold invade battleground. 

In April 1961, the United States sought to overthrow Castro's rule in Cuba and began recruiting Cubans living in captivity into the civilian army in order to put it into practice.

The Cuban-trained Cubans attacked the Cuban coast of the Bay of Pigs, but were repulsed by Cuban troops. Innumerable assailants were killed in this battle while about one thousand were captured. 

Fidel Castro thwarted the attack and gave the United States a hard time, which the United States could not forget for a while. 

The following year, in 1962, US spy planes detected the presence of Soviet missiles in various parts of Cuba. Then suddenly the dark clouds of nuclear invade fell over the world.

The two world powers stood staring into each other's eyes. But in the blink of an eye, Russian President Nikita Khrushchev took the initiative in launching a missile from Cuba. In return, a secret agreement was reached to remove American weapons from Turkey. 

Presence in Africa

Fidel Castro claims he was forced into an alliance with Nikita Khrushchev

Castro topped the list of America's enemies. That's why the United States tried to kill him in Operation Mongos, but he escaped. 

The Soviet Union, on the other hand, was pouring money into Cuba. He bought a large area of ​​sugarcane cultivation on the island. In return, ships loaded with its equipment would land at the port of Havana. Cuba was in dire need of supplies due to US trade sanctions. 

Despite his reliance on the Soviet Union, Castro included Cuba in the non-aligned movement that was still in its infancy. But on the other hand, Castro also became part of the alliances, especially supporting Africa. He sent troops to help Marxist guerrillas in Angola and Mozambique.

By the mid-1980s, the global geopolitical landscape was changing. It was the time of Mikhail Gorbachev, Glassnost, and Perestroika, and it was a catastrophe for Castro's revolution. 

Russia, meanwhile, withdrew from Cuba's economic aid and refused to buy more sugar. The closure of American trade and the lack of support from the Soviet Union led to a massive shortage of essential commodities in Cuba. As the queues for food began to lengthen, so did public confiscation. 

Emigration

Castro's forces entered Havana in 1959

The country that Castro claimed to be the most developed country in the world had, in fact, reached the time of plowing. 

By the mid-1990s, the Cuban people had run out of patience. If earlier people were inclined towards the life of captivity for political and economic reasons, now there are thousands who migrated to the US state of Florida by sea dreaming of a better life. 

There were many who lost their lives during the trip, but doing so was a vote of no confidence in Castro.

One of the scattered families is the teenager Elaine Gonzalez, whose mother died while traveling in Florida. He returned to Havana after a long feud between his family in Cuba and Miami. 

During this time, Castro's government achieved some remarkable goals internally. Among them was the provision of better medical care to all people, which has resulted in fewer child deaths in Cuba than in developing countries. By the end of his reign, Castro had grown quite mature. 

In 1998, Pope John Paul II paid an extraordinary visit to Cuba that was unimaginable five years earlier. The pope sharply criticized Cuba for human rights abuses. It was an embarrassment for Castro in the eyes of the world media.

On the other side of his obvious shortcomings, in his last years in power, Castro introduced a unique style of Caribbean communism. Done.

Shadows 

Pope John Paul II used his visit to Cuba to criticize human rights abuses

Castro suffered a broken knee and an arm in 2004, prompting rumors circulating about Castro's health. It was also rumored that his 24-year-old brother, Raul, would probably take over. 

With just days to go before Castro's 80th birthday in July 2006, Castro temporarily relinquished his powers to his brother after a bowel operation. 

Meanwhile, the Cuban government has repeatedly denied reports that Castro's cancer has reached dangerous levels. Later, in February 2007, Castro's brother announced that Castro's health was improving.

Exactly one year later, Castro announced his resignation, saying he would not attend the next session of the National Assembly as president and commander-in-chief. 

Castro withdrew from public life and began writing articles for the national media entitled "Reflections of Comrades." 

There is no doubt that many Cubans stopped trying Castro, but there were also many who truly loved him.

He saw Castro as David, who had the courage to stand up to America's Goliath and who had succeeded.

For them, Castro was Cuba and Cuba was Castro.