Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Castro – the unforgettable fighter' that was published in Newsband

Castro – the unforgettable fighter

Fidel Castro was a revolutionary and charismatic leader. His policies to promote affordable and accessible health care, housing and education, as well as his standing up to global hegemony are appreciated by many. But his record on human rights came in for serious scrutiny. His defiance of American power was legendary.  

Castro captured power in 1959. He ruled for nearly fifty years. Partnership between Castro and the Soviet Union resulted in the Cold War. Russians trying to pass on the nuclear missiles in Cuba to threaten the U.S. took the world to near-catastrophe in 1962.

Castro was the cause of Washington’s decades-long sanctions that crippled the Cuban economy. He commanded a clout in the Non-Aligned Movement. His slogan of “socialism or death” became very popular.  

Attempt is being made by diplomatic ties between Havana and Washington by his designated successor and brother, Raúl.

Castro had lionized the leftist movement in Cuba. He fought tooth and nail against American dominance in the Latin American Region. Castro led many a rebellion with his confidante, Che Guevara, the cultural hero and icon of Argentina. Both were known for their revolutionary spirit.

Under Castro's leadership, Cuba progressed remarkably in the field of education and health care. Castro also set an example of how to reach out to the poorest even if resources were scarce. Still mired in low income, the average Cuban is guaranteed decent medical care and quality education. Castro also set a pattern of smaller countries standing up to regional hegemonies and coming off none the worse. Internationally, Castro infected many leaders, from Latin American to Asia, with his mix of nationalism-defiance-socialism. On human rights, he gave the US as good as he got.

On the world stage, his marathon speeches infused hope among the disillusioned while in his Latin American backyard, Castro helped weld a camaraderie that eschews outside intervention. His revolution had become an anachronism but his purity of purpose will endure. Human rights violation in Cuba during the rule of Fidel Castro will always be remembered by the people as a huge 'Castro trophe'.