Cuban leader Fidel Castro's mixed legacy

Cuban leader Fidel Castro's mixed legacy. November. 28, 2016 07:12. by Yu-Jong Lee, Soong-Ho Cho pen@donga.com,shcho@donga.com. The recent death of Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro produced mixed comments from world leaders who some appraised him as a “historical figure” but others implicitly highlighted Castro’s shameful achievements.

“Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people,” U.S. President Barack Obama released his White House statement on Saturday (local time). “History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.”

"Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century,” French President François Hollande also said. “He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments.” EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker commented that “his legacy will be judged by history.”

However, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump strongly condemned the Cuban leader, by saying, “The world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.”

Leaders of Cuban allies including Russia, China, and leftist regimes in the Central America sent a telegram of condolences to President Raul Castro, the late leader’s brother. Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history.” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a statement that Castro was a founder of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuba’s socialist cause, was a great leader of the Cuban people."