Farewell Fidel… rest in peace

This is the sentiment of not only most of the Cuban people for whom he was a father figure, but socialist revolutionaries everywhere from West Bengal and Kerala to Tierra del Fuego. When he finally pegged down from natural causes at the age of 90, prime ministers and presidents of a number of countries — Russia, China, India and France to name a few sent their condolences to Fidel’s younger brother Raoul to whom he had relinquished the presidency a few years ago. The terse and uncharitable comment of the racist president-elect of the United States was ‘Castro is dead.’ I don’t recall reading anywhere that any official spokesman from the land of the pure had sent a message of condolence to the Caribbean island even though in the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir Cuba sent 2,375 medical personnel — doctors, nurses and other medical staff in 44 locations throughout the earthquake affected areas.

Fidel was an international icon, a fiery apostle of revolution. He was a towering international figure in six feet and three inches height, had an overpowering personality and remarkable qualities of leadership. His long Cuban cigar, bushy beard, green battle fatigues and cap became a symbol of resistance. He was the most impressive leader to emerge from Latin America, even more famous than Juan Peron of Argentina, or his wife Evita. But perhaps not quite as famous as the Indian Benito Juarez of Mexico whose rag tag army, supported by the United States fought a long guerrilla war against the conquering army of Napoleon III who had installed Maximillian of Austria as the emperor of Mexico. Part of Fidel’s appeal was his swagger and his oratory. He could speak for hours and hours with passion and not breathe hard. His main target was inevitably the imperialism of the United States, a country he defied for almost 50 years. According to one report there were over 400 attempts to assassinate him by the CIA. The figure appears to be an exaggeration, but even so it does indicate the resolve of the Americans to get rid of him. On one occasion the CIA is supposed to have sent him a box of cigars in which the reefers contained an explosive. But Fidel had a highly efficient and alert secret service that was always on the lookout for traps. The remarkable thing about him was that in spite of constant external threats he moved about the country freely. After the Bay of Pigs attack orchestrated by exiled Cubans in Miami and other parts of Florida had been successfully repulsed, some Cubans began to see their leader as invincible. A visitor to Havana would see older citizens at different times of the day seated in the huge public square playing chess enjoying a cigar and a glass of beer, while vintage cars cruise past in search of tourists. Even though Raoul is moving towards a market economy most Cubans will for a time remember how Fidel, Che Guevara and their comrades came down from the mountains and ousted the corrupt dictator Battista who was a stooge of the Americans and apparently took his instructions from the United Fruit Company. He will be remembered in the Third World as the man who stood firm and stood up to a bully. Even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, an ally that kept the island republic financially afloat, he kept his country together through the many hardships imposed by the sanctions. Under Fidel Cuba had developed an enviable healthcare system. His other enduring legacy was the truly remarkable education system which was free. Fidel hung onto power for almost as long as Queen Elizabeth II. But in the process he left behind a proud nation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2016.

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