Cuba Marks Castro Centennial as Crisis Deepens Under His Legacy
Cuba commemorates Fidel Castro's 100th birthday with events, even as the nation faces a severe energy and economic crisis.
Cuba this week marked what would have been the 100th birthday of Fidel Castro, the revolutionary leader who shaped the nation for five decades. The commemoration included book fairs, art exhibitions, concerts, and gatherings of leftist delegates from across the Americas. His image remains ubiquitous, from hospital posters to street billboards bearing slogans like "Homeland or Death," and many Cubans still refer to him simply as "Fidel."
The centennial arrives at a moment of profound national strain. A fuel blockade imposed by the Trump administration in January, followed by additional sanctions, has intensified a five-year economic crisis. Cubans are enduring prolonged power outages, shortages of fuel and medicine, and reduced activity in industry and tourism, with flight cancellations and curtailed work and school hours.
Castro's legacy draws sharply divergent views. Some, like writer and National Assembly member Miguel Barnet, praise his legacy of dignity, morality, and concern for the poor, translated into policies in culture, education, and public health. Retiree Argelia Mustelier believes Castro would have found a way to bring happiness to his people in these difficult times.
Others hold him responsible for the current predicament. Historian Manuel Cuesta Murúa, an opposition leader, argues there was no justification for sacrificing freedoms or suppressing political diversity, a rift whose consequences are still felt today. For younger Cubans like 27-year-old Cristian Cohello, Castro's influence is less immediate, and he sees nothing left from his leadership that can solve the current crisis.
Born in 1926 in eastern Cuba's sugar country, Castro rose to power after the 1959 revolution that ousted Fulgencio Batista. His government's agrarian reform, literacy campaign, and nationalizations put it on a collision course with the United States. He governed until 2008, when he handed over the presidency to his brother, and remained influential until his death in 2016.