Although long expected, the death of Fidel Castro, at the age of 90, still feels like the end of an era. Few will disagree with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s assessment that the Cuban leader was “one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century”. Iconic, certainly, but also deeply polarising. In different countries, Castro and the Cuban revolution he embodied are viewed in markedly different ways. Even in Cuba itself, his legacy, which continues in the rule of his brother Raúl , is subject to debate.
As tributes poured in, they fell into three broad categories: from left-wing countries and movements who celebrated and defended Castro’s achievements; from more conservative movements who attacked him – there were celebrations in the streets of Miami, which has large anti-Castro populations; and more sedate statements focusing on the new path Cuba is on.
In the Middle East and the wider region, Castro is remembered for his anti-imperialist instincts. He supported Algeria’s long struggle to forge a path out of foreign domination. He was, of course, a tireless supporter of the Palestinians. And even as late as 2011, he still welcomed the fall of the Hosni Mubarak regime in Egypt, chiefly because of its alliance with the United States.
In South Africa, Castro is still celebrated for his support for Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement, as he is in Angola, where Cuban troops aided the independence movement.
In a sense, though, the Castro period was already at an end before his death. Two years ago, US president Barack Obama moved to restore diplomatic relations for the first time since 1961. Raúl agreed and even Castro cautiously blessed the move even as he railed against the American government – a government, after all, that had sought to assassinate him and invade and sanction his country into submission.
Cuba for so long has been defined by its charismatic leader and its staunch opposition to its powerful neighbour. Now both are gone. Raúl Castro has indicated that he will step down in two years, meaning Cuba will have to chart a new way in the world without the Castros, for the first time in half a century.
The world has changed immeasurably since Castro seized power. The certainties of the Cold War era have given way to a messy web of alliances and ideas. The certainties of Fidel Castro now belong to an older era.