Story highlights World leaders gathered to pay their respects to Fidel Castro

The former Cuban leader's funeral is scheduled for Sunday

Santiago, Cuba (CNN) Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolution commander who governed and symbolized the island nation for half a century, was memorialized Saturday night by hundreds of thousands of cheering, flag-waving people packed into Antonio Maceo Revolution Square in Santiago de Cuba.

President Raul Castro, who took over when his brother fell ill in 2006, was the last speaker and praised Fidel's accomplishments and character, especially in standing up to the United States.

Cuban school kids. A photo posted by Patrick Oppmann (@cubareporter) on Dec 2, 2016 at 8:33am PST

Fidel Castro, he said, showed it was "possible to firmly maintain the inalienable principles of our sovereignty without fear to the nuclear blackmail of the United States during those days of the missile crisis in October 1962."

Despite his fame, Fidel Castro insisted "until the very last hours of his life" that no parks or public spaces be named after him and no statues or monuments be built in his honor, Raul Castro said.

"That's our undefeated Fidel, who calls us with his example and ... demonstrated that yes, we could; yes, we can; and yes, we will," Raul Castro said.

The final memorial in the Plaza de la Revolución Antonio Maceo tonight. A photo posted by Patrick Oppmann (@cubareporter) on Dec 3, 2016 at 1:57pm PST