Havana. Mr Fidel Castro, who invited Soviet military presence next door to the US in the 1960s to challenge Washington, is dead. He was 90 and ailing.
Castro took power through a bloody coup in 1959, turned Cuba into a one-party communist state, and ruled his country with a strong hand till 2006 when illness and intestine surgery forced him to hand over power to his brother, Mr Raul Castro.
The death was announced on Nov 26 by President Raul Castro, who also declared a nine-day state mourning.
Notably, Raul has normalized relations with the US, and only recently, after half a century, Havana and Washington have resumed diplomatic ties. The development is regarded as one of the key achievements of the outgoing US President, Mr Barack Obama.
Communism is also gone from Cuba and trade relations have resumed between the two countries. The US is also extending financial aid to its poor neighbour in Latin America.
Fidel Castro nationalized all US business in 1960 while the US imposed a trade ban in retaliation. Then he in invited the Soviet Union to bring in missiles, leading to the so-called Bay of Pigs crisis in 1962 and a near war between Washington and Moscow. The latter withdrew its missiles from Cuba and there was peace.
US President John F Kennedy took a firm stand, and even ordered assassination of Fidel Castro.
There were several attempts, particularly during 1960s and 1970s, but the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) somehow failed each time.
Fidel Castro also supported the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) though he had a clear tilt towards Moscow and hatred for Washington. (Agencies)
