On Friday, Cuban President Raul Castro announced that his brother Fidel had died. He was 90.
Cubans, Cuban Americans in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami and Cuban-American celebrities shared a breadth of reactions to the news.
Mr. Castro’s defiance of American power made him a beacon of resistance in Latin America and elsewhere, and his bushy beard, long Cuban cigar and green fatigues became universal symbols of rebellion.
Mr. Castro’s understanding of the power of images, especially on television, helped him retain the loyalty of many Cubans even during the harshest periods of deprivation and isolation when he routinely blamed America and its embargo for many of Cuba’s ills. And his mastery of words in thousands of speeches, often lasting hours, imbued many Cubans with his own hatred of the United States by keeping them on constant watch for an invasion — military, economic or ideological — from the north.
World leaders react
Castro understood the power of images—and words—and his death prompted many political leaders to make statements of their own.
President Barack Obama struck a neutral tone and said in a statement: "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."
Obama continued:
For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.
Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.
President-elect Donald Trump took a different approach with a short tweet:
Fidel Castro is dead!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016
Though criticized for his reaction, Trump later doubled down on his tweet with a statement, calling Castro a “brutal dictator”:
Trump followed that up a few hours later with a lengthier statement, in which he called Castro a "brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades" and said he hoped Castro's death gave Cuban Americans "the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba."
"Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights," the statement said.
Vice-president elect Mike Pence tweeted a similar sentiment:
The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!
— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) November 26, 2016
Trump and Pence didn’t mince their words, but several leaders took a more nuanced approach. Some, including India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, even praised the late leader:
Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016
In a message read on state broadcast CCTV, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Fidel Castro’s “immortal historical contributions to the development of socialism around the world,” the AP reported.
“With his death, the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend. His glorious image and great achievements will be recorded in history forever,” Jinping said.
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, made the following statement:
“It is with deep sorrow that I learned today of the death of Cuba’s longest serving President.
“Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation.
“While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro’s supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for “el Comandante”.
“I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away. It was also a real honour to meet his three sons and his brother President Raúl Castro during my recent visit to Cuba.
“On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Mr. Castro. We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.”
Many accused Trudeau of glossing over Castro’s history and actions. After receiving backlash over his remarks, the prime minister defended his remarks to reporters.
The Christian Science Monitor reported:
Mr. Trudeau defended his statement by saying he had only intended "to recognize the passing of a former head of state," and pointing out that he had raised concerns about human rights during an official visit to Cuba earlier in the month.
"The fact is Fidel Castro had a deep and lasting impact on the Cuban people," Trudeau told reporters on Sunday in a televised news conference. "He certainly was a polarizing figure and there certainly were significant concerns around human rights, that's something I'm open about and that I've highlighted."
When asked during the news conference whether he saw Castro as a dictator, the Canadian prime minister answered: "Yes."
Prince Henry of Wales even observed a minute of silence for Castro during his visit to the West Indies.
Probably looking to avoid making any statement about the former president’s death, “[t]he Prince observed the silence along with St Vincent’s Prime Minister who described Castro as “a good friend of the island,” The Independent reported.
The moment has been [labeled] “potentially awkward” by some while others have claimed the Prince was put under pressure by the gesture.
The Conservative MP Alec Sherbrooke told the Mail Online: “It’s very unfair to put pressures on members of the Royal Family to take part in this kind of tribute. Prince Harry shouldn’t be put in this position.”
What do you think about how these leaders responded, PR Daily readers?
(Image via)
from PR Daily News Feed http://ift.tt/2go6je9
No comments:
Post a Comment