Last week, as the news of his death came out, my social media feed got full of posts related to Fidel Castro. The obituaries were highly contrasting and polarised; some with words of praise wishing for him to RIP while others wishing for him to rot in hell after death. I wondered why.
After successfully overthrowing an autocratic government through a guerrilla warfare that lasted for several years in the 50s, he ruled over Cuba directly or indirectly until his death in 2016.
Although Cuba always had a fairly good healthcare system and a high percentage of doctors, even before the Revolution, good healthcare is one of the first things that attracts about Fidel's Cuba. With a high literacy rate of almost 100%, GDP growth rate of over 4%, low unemployment rate of 1.5%, all despite years of trade embargo put up by the USA I wondered what could be wrong with this leader ? Everybody, at least in the neighbouring Caribbean islands must be dying to go settle there, right ? Well, some more reading suggested that the case has been the right opposite, with millions of Cubans trying to escape the country and become refugees almost all these years of Fidel's rule. Human rights violations, censorship, political detentions and executions, forced labour and restrictions of assembly are some of the reasons why Cuba as a country has been more of a jail for any freedom loving individual.
Castro allegedly conducted over 3500 political executions via firing squad. A tugboat named "13 de Marzo," while carrying 72 Cuban refugees to the USA, was attacked by one of Castro's boats and sank into the Atlantic. Reluctant revolutionaries, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, hippies and other groups were rounded up and sent to "UMAPs".
No wonder people were ready to risk their lives to escape from the dictatorial rule. From 1985 to 1994 the number of illegal emigrants is estimated to 82,500, with an additional 7,500 up to the mid-2000. Even discussing illegal emigration carried a six-month prison sentence. Exit permits were difficult to obtain. However, from 2013, a new law eliminates the need for an exit permit but increases passport costs to 100 CUC, the equivalent of 5 months of average salary.
Cuba's ranking was on the bottom of the Press Freedom Index 2008 compiled by the Reporters Without Borders (RWB). Cuba was named one of the ten most censored countries in the world by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The so-called powerful leader who defied the States was so insecure of his own people that he had to ban the free use of internet all these years. I wonder if this is the kind of freedom the communists ask for ?
After all these years of evolution, do we still need to be forced between choosing either the bread or freedom ? No matter what good you did - if even a single individual was forced to sacrifice his freedom because of you then yes Mr. Fidel Castro, you were a monster and I do wish you rot in hell, if there is one.
