Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada would like the world to know that he was rather fond of Fidel Castro. Or at least, that is the message that many people took from his unusually warm statement on the death of the Cuban dictator, whom he hailed on Saturday as “a remarkable leader.”

“Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century,” Mr. Trudeau said in the statement, which was issued while he attended a summit meeting in Madagascar. He described Mr. Castro, who ruled as a Communist autocrat for almost 50 years, as “Cuba’s longest serving President.”

“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,’” Mr. Trudeau continued. He added that Mr. Castro was “a legendary revolutionary and orator” whose death had brought him “deep sorrow.”

“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,” Mr. Trudeau said. (His father, Pierre Trudeau, served as prime minister for over 15 years.) “It was also a real honour to meet his three sons and his brother President Raúl Castro during my recent visit to Cuba.”