Former Cuban President Fidel Castro Dies at 90

By JIM PURCELL

According to a Reuters report filed today, Nov. 26, 2016, from Havana, Cuba, it was reported that Fidel Castro, the former long-time prime minister of Cuba, has died at the age of 90.

Fidel Castro

Castro, whose birth name was Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926 and died November 25, 2016. The Cuban leader's passing was reported on Cuban state television just after midnight today by his brother, Cuban President Raul Castro. The cause of his death has not yet been announced.

Castro governed as prime minister of Cuba from 1959-1976, then as president from 1976-2008.

Castro's political rise in Cuba came after the Biran-born son of a wealthy farmer adopted communist sympathies as he was studying law at the University of Havana. In 1953, Castro began his path to power with a failed attack against the Moncada Barracks, during the presidency of then-Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. Castro was imprisoned for his role in the attack and, after a year's confinement, he was released and traveled to Mexico, where he formed the "26th of July Movement." Castro and his followers then returned to Cuba and fought a guerilla war against the Batista regime. By 1959, the war was over and Castro and his movement had toppled Batista and the former law student was made leader of the Cuban people.

Castro then went on to create a one-party communist state wherein he was installed as its life-long leader.

Some of the milestones involving the tenure of Castro as Cuba's leader includes: the abortive "Bay of Pigs" Invasion by CIA-backed anti-communist Cuban forces, in 1961; the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis, in 1962; Castro's partnership with Russia and other communist nations, resulting in Cuba exporting terrorism to Central America and the world; and economic stagnation for the Cuban people.