Fidel Castro's legacy

Fidel Castro, the former long-serving president of Cuba, took the final bow on Friday last week. Cuba’s modern history traces its roots to the ‘Bay of Pigs’ landing in 1961 when Fidel Castro defeated a group of US-led rebels that wanted to topple him.

Fidel Castro had seized power through a revolution in 1959. For the duration of his presidency, American support of Cuban rebels soured diplomatic relations.

It was only recently that Raul Castro, Cuba’s incumbent president and brother to late Fidel Castro, re-established diplomatic ties. This followed US president Barack Obama’s visit to Havana as the first sitting American president to do so in over 50 years.

Castro’s great legacy is to be found more in his support for African countries, more so South Africa, that were fighting imperialism. Fidel Castro’s contribution was in despatching thousands of his solders to countries around South Africa, from where they assisted the African National Congress in launching attacks against the apartheid regime.

That support was instrumental in the final win against apartheid.Outside military assistance to countries that fought against imperialism and American influence, thousands of Cuban doctors could be found in many African countries. Indeed, even though he had his failings, Castro was a true friend to the African struggle against colonialism.