Donald Trump has labeled Fidel Castro a 'brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades' following the former Communist leader's death.

Trump said Castro's legacy is one of 'unimaginable suffering and the denial of fundamental human rights.'

His statement was in marked contrast to his presidential predecessor Barack Obama who said history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him.'

Trump said: 'Today, 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.

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President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news of Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro's death on Saturday

Fidel Castro waves Cuba's national flag after giving a speech in front of USA Interest Office in Havana, Cuba in May 2005

'While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.'

He continued, saying that while the 'tragedies, deaths and pain caused' caused by Castro cannot be erased, 'our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

'I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba,' he said.

Earlier the president-elect had tweeted 'Fidel Castro is dead!' after news broke on Friday night that Cuba's former president Castro had died age 90.

But after being called out for his rather blunt response he released a far more powerful statement.

DONALD TRUMP RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER FIDEL CASTRO'S DEATH Today, 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. While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve. Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba. Advertisement

Vice President-elect Mike Pence called Castro a 'tyrant.'

He tweeted: '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!'

The White House released Obama's statement on Saturday morning in which he noted the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba has been marked by 'discord and profound political disagreements' for nearly six decades.

Obama offered his condolences to Castro's family and said his thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people.

Trump's initial tweets simply declaring 'Fidel Castro is dead!' was quickly mocked by Twitter users.

'@realDonaldTrump that's all you have to say? Did you think of that all by yourself?! Brilliant lol. #Inspire,' one user tweeted in response to Trump's tweet.

'@realDonaldTrump Very presidential statement, Mr President-elect. Thanks for putting it all into perspective for us,' another user wrote.

'@realDonaldTrump lol man good presidential tweet there,' one user wrote.

However, some users wrote in defense of Trump, suggesting his tweet was to the point.

Trump tweeted 'Fidel Castro is dead!' on Saturday morning and was quickly called out by some Twitter users

Some Twitter users were quick to call out Trump, questioning whether that was all he had to say and mocked him for his response

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, whose grandfather immigrated to Cuba as a child with his parents from Spain, also weighed in on the news of Castro's death on Saturday morning, releasing a statement about how Castro's death 'cannot bring back his thousands of victims.'

'Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families,' wrote in a Facebook post.

'Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba.'

Former President Jimmy Carter expressed his sympathies for the Castro family and the Cuban people.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA RELEASES A STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF FIDEL CASTRO At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. 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. Advertisement

'Rosalynn and I share our sympathies with the Castro family and the Cuban people on the death of Fidel Castro,' Carter said in a statement.

'We remember fondly our visits with him in Cuba and his love of his country. We wish the Cuban citizens peace and prosperity in the years ahead.'

Secretary of State John Kerry released a statement in which he said as Cuba and the U.S. move forward, we 'do so in a spirit of friendship.'

'As our two countries continue to move forward on the process of normalization - restoring the economic, diplomatic and cultural ties severed by a troubled past - we do so in a spirit of friendship and with an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples,' he said.

Republican Ed Royce, the chairman of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Saturday that Castro left a legacy of 'repression at home, and support for terrorism abroad.'

Vice President-elect Mike Pence called Castro a 'tyrant' and said 'new hope dawns'

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz weighed in on the news of Castro's death on Saturday morning

'Sadly, Raul Castro is no better for Cubans who yearn for freedom,' Royce said in a statement, referring to Fidel's younger brother, who has led the country since 2008.

Several world leaders paid tribute to Castro on Saturday, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States, but in death just as in life he divided opinion, and critics labelled him a 'tyrant'.

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez released a lengthy statement on Castro's passing calling him a 'brutal dictator who must always be remembered by his gross abuses of human rights, systemic exploitation of Cubans, unrelenting repression, and stifling censorship upon his own people.'

'Fidel's oppressive legacy will haunt the Cuban regime and our hemisphere forever. Under the Castros' reign, Cubans have not had one single free election,' Menendez wrote in a Facebook post.

'Not one Cuban has been allowed to fully own his or her own company. Not one legitimate trade union has been allowed to be organized.

'Not one peaceful protest has occurred without being brutally squashed by the regime.

'This was Cuba's reality when the Berlin wall fell and it continues to be its reality in 2016.'

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez released a lengthy statement on Castro's passing calling him a 'brutal dictator who must always be remembered by his gross abuses of human rights'

Menendez went on to say that Castro's death represents an historic opportunity for the United States.

'Instead of condoning the continuation of repressive actions of a repressive regime simply because some believe it's been long enough, the United States and the international community must stand up and support the Cuban people as they seek ways to implement changes that bring the fundamental principles of democracy, reinstate the freedoms that inform society and unleash the creative and inventive power-of-people to build a better life for themselves and their families,' he said.

'Contrary to the romanticized idea being peddled by some, recent lopsided concessions in U.S. policy towards Cuba have not led to an iota of positive changes in the way the regime rules or the Cuban people live,' he continued.

'We know that the Castro regime is still a brutal totalitarian dictatorship that continues to deprive the Cuban people of the basic human rights we so proudly proclaim to support around the world.'

Menendez said it is his sincere hope that 'we will use this moment to listen to the human rights activists, the Cubans who have sacrificed day and night in a peaceful struggle for freedom to reexamine and determine a new policy toward the Castro regime.'

'We can never forget those who have suffered and died at the hands of Fidel and Raul Castro.

'And as long as I have a voice, I will continue to speak out against the Castro regime, against any effort to legitimize it or reward it, and for the thousands of men and women in Cuba who have been forced to live under the iron fist of their repressive dictatorship.

'Today, Cubans are one step closer to achieving freedom.'

Fidel Castro died on Friday age 90, his younger brother and successor Raul Castro announced on state television

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, also hailed Castro's death.

'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere,' she wrote on her website.

'We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.'

Florida Senator Marco Rubio said Castro turned Cuba into 'an impoverished island prison' where dissidents were routinely jailed and killed.

'The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not,' Rubio said in a statement.

'The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.'

U.S. POLITICIANS REACT TO THE DEATH OF CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY LEADER FIDEL CASTRO Vice President-elect Mike Pence: '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!' Texas Senator Ted Cruz: 'Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families,' wrote in a Facebook post. 'Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba.' Former President Jimmy Carter: 'Rosalynn and I share our sympathies with the Castro family and the Cuban people on the death of Fidel Castro,' Carter said in a statement. 'We remember fondly our visits with him in Cuba and his love of his country. We wish the Cuban citizens peace and prosperity in the years ahead.' Secretary of State John Kerry: 'As our two countries continue to move forward on the process of normalization - restoring the economic, diplomatic and cultural ties severed by a troubled past - we do so in a spirit of friendship and with an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples.' Republican Ed Royce, the chairman of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee: 'For more than half a century, the Cuban people have suffered under the brutal dictatorship of the Castro clan. No one should rule anywhere near as long as Fidel Castro did. His legacy is one of repression at home, and support for terrorism abroad. Sadly, Raul Castro is no better for Cubans who yearn for freedom.' Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: 'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere. We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.' Florida Senator Marco Rubio: 'Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison. 'Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed. Sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. 'The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people. 'The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.' Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton: 'Fidel Castro created hell on earth for the Cuban people. He will now become intimately familiar with what he wrought.' U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: 'While Fidel Castro is gone, sadly the oppression that was the hallmark of his era is not. It is my hope that the Cuban regime will use this opportunity to turn the page for the good of the Cuban people and for all those living in the Americas. Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba.' Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush: 'While Fidel Castro is gone, sadly the oppression that was the hallmark of his era is not. It is my hope that the Cuban regime will use this opportunity to turn the page for the good of the Cuban people and for all those living in the Americas. Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba.' House Speaker Paul Ryan: 'Now that Fidel Castro is dead, the cruelty and oppression of his regime should die with him. Sadly, much work remains to secure the freedom of the Cuban people, and the United States must be fully committed to that work. Today let us reflect on the memory and sacrifices of all those who have suffered under the Castros.' Tennessee Senator Bob Corker: 'Under Fidel Castro’s brutal and oppressive dictatorship, the Cuban people have suffered politically and economically for decades, and it is my hope that his passing might turn the page toward a better way of life for the many who have dreamed of a brighter future for their country.' Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich: 'The outpouring of praise for Fidel Castro is tragic. He was a relentless dictator who imprisoned thousands, killed and tortured many Cubans. Castro's policies impoverished the Cuban people. Look at the cars in pictures. A dictatorship that drove out hundreds of thousands of Cubans.' Advertisement

Senator Tom Cotton, a military veteran from Arkansas who some have touted for a Trump Cabinet role, said Castro 'created hell on earth for the Cuban people. He will now become intimately familiar with what he wrought.'

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he hoped Raul Castro would 'turn the page' on oppression.

'Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba,' he said in a statement.

A bloc of mostly Republican Cuban-American lawmakers has worked to keep tight restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba for years.

Some U.S. Republican lawmakers broke with party orthodoxy to back Obama's reforms, drawn by the economic benefits of restoring ties.

But many have chafed against the changes, saying Cuba's government was still too repressive to ease restrictions.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, Obama pushed smaller reforms using executive authority.

That means Trump, who takes office on January 20, will be able change course just as easily, potentially reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments like the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

Trump has vowed that he will reverse all of President Barack Obama's executive actions normalizing relations with the Castro regime – unless the oppressive government in Havana dramatically changes its approach to human rights and political freedom.

Trump's shock victory this month has cast uncertainty over two years of moves by President Barack Obama to end more than 50 years of Cold War enmity with the communist island

Back in September, Trump pledged that if he won the White House he was 'going to stand with the Cuban people in their fight against communist oppression.'

'The president's one-sided deal for Cuba, and with Cuba, benefits only the Castro regime. People are very unhappy about it,' Trump said during a Miami rally at the time.

'But all of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them.'

'And that I will do,' Trump vowed, 'unless the Castro regime meets our demands. Not my demands. Our demands. You know what the demands are.

'Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people. And the freeing of political prisoners.'

Last year, Trump said 'the concept of opening [relations] with Cuba is fine', but criticized Obama for striking a deal that brought few benefits to the U.S. and demanded only weak changes from Havana.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and a month later re-opened its embassy in Havana. Obama made a landmark visit to the communist-ruled island in March.

The moves were criticized by many of the politically influential Cuban exiles and their families living in the United States.

Now, Republicans closely await what Trump - a billionaire businessman known for his unconventional approach to politics and policy - will do on Cuba once he takes office.

Trump's statement on Castro's passing marked a softening from his late campaign rhetoric on Cuba policy.

Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro, right, is pictured last Tuesday shaking hands with Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang in one of the last pictures taken of Castro before he died, in Havana, Cuba

Fidel Castro waves a Cuban flag during a May Day rally in Havana in May 2002

'This may be one place where his business interests prod him to take a more pragmatic course, even if that angers the hard core anti-Castro elements of both parties,' one U.S. intelligence official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Trump has just begun to fill out the top ranks of his national security team, and has not yet named his top diplomat - the Secretary of State - who will play a major role in formulating policy on Cuba.

A second U.S. official noted the advisers Trump has named thus far are not known to have any particular interest in Cuba.

That may mean Trump's economic team will have more sway over Cuba policy, which could lead to a more pragmatic approach than Trump's campaign pledges, the second official said.

Trump had started his campaign saying he was open to lifting the long-standing embargo on trade with Cuba.

In January, he said on Fox News that he was in favor of 'opening it up' with Cuba, but wanted a better 'deal' than Obama had made, comments he repeated in a debate with Republican rivals in March.

'I would want to make a strong, solid, good deal because right now, everything is in Cuba's favor,' Trump said in March, saying he would 'probably have the embassy closed' in Havana until a new deal was made.

In this January 1959 photo, Fidel Castro is pictured center with his soldiers as they make a roadside appearance while moving toward Havana where a welcome was expected

When Obama visited Cuba later that month, Trump said in an interview with CNN that he 'probably' would continue to normalize economic and diplomatic relations with Cuba, and would even open a Trump hotel in Cuba if the conditions were right.

'I think Cuba has certain potential, and I think it's okay to bring Cuba into the fold, but you have to make a much better deal,' he said, noting he was worried Cuba would sue the United States for reparations for damage caused by its decades-long embargo on Cuba.

Cuba policy was not part of a major foreign policy address Trump delivered in April.

After he secured his party's nod, his position shifted to a more traditional Republican position.

The reaction to Castro's passing from some Cubans living in the United States was scathing and celebratory.

U.S. Congress representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, said in a statement: 'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere.'

In Miami, in the area surrounding the Versailles Restaurant where many exiles who fled the Cuban revolution live, people took to the streets in their cars in the early hours of Saturday morning to celebrate Castro's death.

'Cuba si! Castro no!' they chanted, while others screamed 'Cuba libre!'

Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. That was no surprise.

Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants.

Members of the Cuban community react Castro's death on Saturday in the Little Havana area in Miami

Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959.

Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime.

Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft.

Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.

The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.

In Miami, hundreds of people gathered waving flags, banging pots and pans and carrying umbrellas to shield them from steady rainfall on Friday.