Fidel Castro dies

Fidel Castro dies

Fidel Castro, Cuba’s former President has died. He is aged 90.

Castro ruled Cuba for almost half a century as a powerful leader. In 2008 he handed over the powers to his brother Raul.

Castro ruled the country as a one-party basis without allowing the opposition.

In 1959, Castro had established the first communist state in Cuba after overthrowing the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. He ruled the country almost 50 years and finally he handed over the powers to his bother in 2008.

During his regime he reduced illiteracy, stamping out racism.

Throughout his regime he maintained the antagonistic relationship with the US.

His father was a wealthy sugarcane farmer in Cuba. He studied law and practised as lawyer. Later, he ran for election to the Cuban House of Representatives. But Batista, (dictatorship) seized power without any such election.

After that Castro and his men made an attack on the Moncada Army which was failed and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The US backed the dictator Batista.

After the release of Castro from jail in 1955 under general amnesty, he adopted guerrilla attacks and won. He took over as Prime Minister in 1960.

He nationalised all US owned businesses in Cuba.

In 1961 internal war started to overthrow Castro, near the Bay of Pigs, which ended in disaster.

Castro publicly declared himself a Marxist-Leninist when Cuba was desperately depend on Soviet Union.

US President John F.Kennedy publicly declared not to re-invade Cuba.

Castro did not support opposition and he banned all the opposition newspapers, jailed the opponents. Castro changed his title from Prime Minister to President.

Due to medical reasons, he resigned and handed over the powers to his brother Raul.

During Castro’s power there were several attempts on his life and in all occasions he escaped luckily.