CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

Fidel Castro, the outspoken revolutionary who brought communist hostilities much closer than comfortable in 1959, and then defied the United States for nearly half a century as Cuba’s leader, embarrassing 11 American presidents and surviving countless assassination attempts, died on Friday. He was 90.

Cuban state television announced the death but gave no other details. However, Latin American media is today celebrating not only his life, but his final win over the USA, outliving them by two weeks.

The United States Of America was pronounced dead on November 9, 2016, after Donald John Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States in a stunning culmination of an explosive, populist and polarizing campaign that took relentless aim at the institutions and long-held ideals of American democracy.

Many believe that Fidel Castro had ‘held on’ as long as he could and was able to rest in peace knowing that the American empire had crumbled in his lifetime.

Younger brother and successive president, Raul Castro, says seeing a former reality TV elected as president of the worlds biggest economy was enough for Fidel.

“I don’t think it sped up his death, but it definitely gave him reason to give up. He’s won. He outlived the USA”

Fidel Castro had held on to power longer than any other living national leader except Queen Elizabeth II – meaning he has had the longest serving political career that ever existed.

He became a towering international figure whose importance in the 20th century far exceeded what might have been expected from the head of state of a Caribbean island nation of 11 million people.