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The Castros: End of an era for Cuba

Fidel Castro in 1971
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By Alix Culbertson, News Reporter

After nearly six decades, the Castro rule over Cuba is over.

Raul Castro, 86, has stepped down as president after a decade at the helm of one of the world's few lasting communist countries.

His vice president Miguel Diaz-Canel, 57, was handed the reins on Thursday after being proposed as the sole candidate to replace the president.

Despite relinquishing his presidency, Raul Castro has said he will remain head of Cuba's Communist Party until 2021, after which he said "I will be soldier alongside the people, defending the revolution."

Cuba has been through major ups and downs since the 60s, but it was under the elder Castro brother, Fidel, that Cuba as we know it today was shaped.

The Castros come to power

Fidel Castro (R) in Havana in 1959 celebrating Batista fleeing Cuba
Image: Fidel Castro in Havana in 1959 celebrating Batista fleeing Cuba

Born to a wealthy Spanish farmer in eastern Cuba in 1926, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz became a leftist anti-imperialist while studying law at the University of Havana.

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He participated in rebellions against right-wing governments in the Dominican Republic and Colombia before setting his sights on his own country, then ruled by the US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Following a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953, which led to his imprisonment, he went to Mexico, where he formed a revolutionary group with his brother, Raul, and Che Guevara, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary.

Batista's forces were overthrown in 1959 after a guerrilla war led by the Castros, with Fidel becoming Cuba's Prime Minister.

He became President in 1976.

Cuba becomes communist

Fidel Castro
Image: Fidel Castro became Prime Minister of Cuba in 1959

In two words: Fidel Castro.

He was determined Cuba could skip most stages of socialism and move straight to communism.

With the US opposed to his government, he survived assassination attempts, economic blockades and counter-revolution, including the failed, CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961.

Keen to make communism work in previously capitalist Cuba, Castro joined forces with the Soviet Union and allowed them to place nuclear weapons in the country, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

The 13-day stand-off between Washington and Moscow is often described as the most dangerous moment of the Cold War and the closest the world has come to nuclear war.

What did Castro give the Cubans?

Raul and Fidel Castro marking the death of 19th Century Cuban independence hero Antonio Maceo in 1996
Image: The two brothers ruled Cuba for about 60 years

When Fidel came to power, he provided Cubans with free healthcare and education. But that came with a state-controlled press and suppression of any internal dissent.

Castro also introduced Cuban Medical Internationalism, where tens of thousands of Cuban medics were sent to developing countries while medical students and patients were brought to Cuba for treatment.

Throughout Fidel's time in power, the US had a trade and travel embargo on Cuba - something which did not affect the island too much until the 80s, when the market price of sugar - the main source of income - plummeted and harvests failed.

Unemployment became a serious problem during that time and thousands of Cubans fled to Florida, and were labelled as "scum" by Castro.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 led Cuba into a serious economic downturn, with bicycles replacing cars, oxen replacing tractors and firewood used for cooking as electricity cuts were introduced for 16 hours a day.

The 90s saw the Cuban economy decline by more than 40% in under two years, with major food shortages and lack of basic goods.

Exiled Cuban-Americans in Miami celebrate the death of former president Fidel Castro
Image: Exiled Cuban-Americans in Miami celebrate Fidel Castro's death

In 1994 the largest anti-Castro demonstration ever in Cuba took place, with some 300 young men throwing stones at police, and demanding that they be allowed to emigrate to Miami.

Castro stepped up his Communist rhetoric, and gave the unemployed jobs building a network of bunkers and tunnels in case of widespread guerrilla warfare.

In a bid to diversify the economy, Castro embarked on a programme to draw tourism to the island, restoring Havana's colonial buildings and creating beach resorts aimed at foreigners.

Tourism became the country's main source of revenue in 1995, but this prompted an increasing number of Cubans to turn to prostitution - which Castro did not stop.

Castro was an early supporter of environmentalist policies, campaigning against global warming and lashing out against the US, until recently the world's main polluter.

By 2006 Cuba was the only country to meet the UN Development Programme's definition of sustainable development.

Castros and the US

President John F Kennedy signing a proclamation for the interdiction of the delivery of offensive weapons to Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962
Image: President John F Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962

The Castros have ruled through 12 different US administrations, with Fidel leading Cuba through 11 of those.

Throughout Fidel's leadership, the US continued to attempt to assassinate him - including alleged plots to use exploding cigars and poison pens - but was ultimately unsuccessful.

In 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower suspended arms shipments to Batista, which helped Fidel lead his army to victory. But Mr Eisenhower quickly became pessimistic about the revolution, placing trade, economic and travel embargoes on the island which are mostly still in place.

In 1961 John F Kennedy's government supported a plan by Cuban exiles to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs.

The invasion ended in disaster for the US.

The following year US planes photographed Soviet missile construction sites in Cuba, triggering the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Gerald Ford was the first president to attempt to normalise relations, but that ended in 1975 when Fidel sent troops to southern Africa to support the Marxist regime in Angola.

When the Cuban economy experienced a serious downturn in the 80s, thousands of Cubans fled to Florida. Fidel responded by creating a crisis for the White House by allowing criminals and mentally ill people to set sail for the US.

President Ronald Reagan took a more severe approach than his predecessor Jimmy Carter, saying he wanted to overthrow the Castro regime.

Barack Obama and Raul Castro in Havana in 2016
Image: Barack Obama and Raul Castro in Havana in 2016

Ties between the two countries remained frayed until Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations in 2015 - the so-called Cuban Thaw - but maintained most embargoes.

However, some US travel restrictions were lifted and a US embassy in Havana was established.

In 2017 Donald Trump suspended a policy for unconditional sanctions relief for Cuba, saying he was leaving the door open for a "better deal" between the two nations.

Castros and the Soviet Union

Fidel Castro with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1964
Image: Fidel Castro with Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1964

Castro's Cuba enjoyed close ties to the Soviet Union until the USSR's collapse.

The two resumed diplomatic relations in 1960, with Cuba importing Soviet oil, much to the anger of the Americans.

Soviet missile construction sites were built in Cuba in the early 60s, triggering the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviets agreed to remove the missiles if Mr Kennedy promised the US would not invade Cuba again.

The Soviet bloc collapsed in 1991, terminating $6bn of annual subsidies to Cuba.

The dissolution led to an economic downturn for Cuba called the Special Period in Time of Peace, in which the Cuban government embraced environmentalism and anti-globalisation.

Influence on the world

Outside of Cuba, Castro was incredibly popular in countries where he intervened to support a fight against the "imperialists".

His trademark military fatigues and bearded face made him a recognisable figure across the world. He also became famous for marathon speeches at Havana (as well as on one occasion the United Nations).

To his critics, he remained an oppressor who put political enemies in prison, enforced censorship and repressed civil rights.

In the 70s in southern Africa he sent military advisers and 18,000 Cuban troops to help out in the Angolan Civil War then the Mozambique Civil War.

Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg in 2001
Image: Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg in 2001

He toured Algeria, Libya, South Yemen, Somalia and Tanzania, where crowds regarded him as a hero for opposing apartheid in South Africa.

In Latin America he supported socialist movements which included the overthrowing of the Nicaraguan right-wing government in 1979.

The 90s saw Castro abandoning support of foreign militants amid the economic downturn.

Fidel Castro with Yassar Arafat on the PLO leader&#39;s first visit to Cuba in 1974
Image: Fidel Castro with Yasser Arafat in Cuba in 1974

The turn of the century was marked by the so-called Pink Tide - a movement that brought leftist leaders to power in many countries in Latin America. Castro supported Hugo Chavez, acting as a mentor to the Venezuelan leader.

Cuba traded tens of thousands of medics for 53,000 barrels of oil a day at preferential rates.

In 2004, 300,000 people from Venezuela received free eye operations.

1986: Cuban President Fidel Castro (C) shares a laugh with Zimbabwean President Canaan Banana (R) and Zimbabwean Prime Minister Robert Mugabe (L) as he arrives in Harare
Image: 1986: Fidel Castro with Zimbabwean President Canaan Banana and PM Robert Mugabe

The alliance boosted the Cuban economy, with Castro able to double the minimum wage, raise pensions and deliver new kitchen appliances to the poorest Cubans.

The brothers' personalities

Fidel (L) and Raul (R) Castro in 2016
Image: Fidel (l) and Raul Castro in 2016

Fidel was always the leader, the headstrong one of the pair, who knew he had a faithful servant in Raul.

In his youth Fidel was described as being intolerant of those who did not share his Marxist-Leninist views.

As he became older, he was slightly more tolerant, but was well-known for throwing tantrums and could make snap judgements which he refused to back down from.

His biographer Leycester Coltman said Fidel was "fiercely hard-working, dedicated, loyal, generous and magnanimous" but he could be "vindictive and unforgiving".

Fidel could be "a bad loser" and would act with "ferocious rage if he thought that he was being humiliated".

Fidel Castro blowing out birthday candles on his 70th birthday in 1996
Image: Fidel Castro blowing out birthday candles on his 70th birthday in 1996

At the same time he "always had a keen sense of humour and could laugh at himself", Mr Coltman said.

Fidel only slept a few hours a night, preferring to meet foreign diplomats in the early hours of the morning when he thought they would be tired so he would gain the upper hand.

He loved cooking, wine, whisky and reading - and guns.

Fidel liked to be seen as a man of the people but his former bodyguard said he lived in great luxury, with several houses and yachts which he hid from the Cuban populace.

Forbes estimated his personal net worth in 2006 was $900m.

He kept his family life very private, but he married twice and had 11 children, some the result of one-night stands.

Raul is almost the opposite of his brother, saying when he took over some presidential duties that he was not used to making frequent appearances in public and that he has "always been discreet, that is my way".

Actor Sean Penn, who interviewed Raul in 2008, described him as "warm, open, energetic and sharp of wit".

He was married to the daughter of a wealthy lawyer for the Bacardi rum company, Vilma Espin, for 48 years until she died in 2007.

They have three daughters.

End of Fidel's rule

The ashes of Fidel Castro passes people in Las Tunas, Cuba
Image: The ashes of Fidel Castro in Las Tunas, Cuba in 2016

Fidel's health started deteriorating in 2006. He underwent surgery for intestinal bleeding and handed his presidential duties over to his younger brother, Raul, before taking them up again in 2007.

In 2008, at 81, he handed the reigns over to Raul, saying he was not in a physical condition to be responsible for a country.

His health then deteriorated further, but he still gave public lectures and used Twitter.

In 2011 Fidel stepped down from the central committee of the Communist Party, giving his brother full leadership, but still prominent behind the scenes.

He was credited with getting the North Koreans and Americans to step down in 2013 from a potential nuclear war.

Fidel died on 25 November, 2016 at age 90, and was cremated the next day, with a 900km funeral procession through the centre of the island two months later.

Raul's rule

Cuban President Raul Castro is stepping down
Image: Cuban President Raul Castro ruled for about a decade

Raul was always faithful to his older brother.

Upon taking over temporarily in 2006, he told students in that Cuba would remain communist and that "Fidel is irreplaceable, unless we all replace him together".

He has a reputation for delivering unanimated, business-like speeches, unlike Fidel.

Since his election as leader in 2008, he has removed restrictions on products such as DVD players, computers, microwaves and the use of mobile phones.

The younger Castro brother has also overhauled state-run salary structures to reward harder working employees and encouraged private initiatives and foreign investment.

He also introduced a limitation on presidential terms, including for himself.

Raul has helped in the normalisation of relations with the US, saying the two should respect each other and shaking hands with then Mr Obama in 2013.

Miguel Diaz Canel (R) will take over from Raul Castro (L) as Cuban President
Image: Miguel Diaz Canel (r) will take over from Raul Castro as Cuban President

That year he started his second five-year term as president, naming Mr Diaz-Canel as his first vice president and announcing he would step down from power after his second term as president ends in 2018.

He played a key role in the Cuban Thaw.

Raul has been highly critical of Donald Trump's Mexican wall and restrictive trade policy, calling his plans egotistical and irrational.

Cubans generally believe not much will change under the new leader, Mr Diaz-Canel, who is a faithful supporter of Raul's.