A poster of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro is seen on a wall in Havana, Cuba.
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After scores of assassination attempts against him and even having made enemies with the most powerful nation in the world, El Comandante, as he is sometimes called, quietly passed a milestone in his notoriously secluded life.
The birthday celebrations for the retired leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro began on Friday night with a free concert beside Havana’s seafront Malecon. “To 90 years past, and to 90 more!”
In Saturday’s letter, Castro also criticized Obama for not apologizing to the Japanese during his trip to Hiroshima in May, saying his speech there was “lacking stature”.
“I want to express my most profound gratitude for the shows of respect, the greetings and gifts I have received”, Mr Castro wrote in the opinion piece.
In his letter, Castro accompanied his thanks with reminiscences about his childhood and youth in eastern Cuba, describing the geology and plant life of the region where he grew up. Indeed, after Obama’s trip, Castro wrote a scathing letter, criticizing the American president’s remarks urging Cubans to look to the future.
FILE – In this March 21, 2016 file photo, Cuban President Raul Castro, right, lifts up the arm of President Barack Obama at the conclusion of their joint news conference at the Palace of the Revolution, in Havana, Cuba.
Castro’s 1600-word editorial went on to recount US led hostilities against the small island nation, including the famous Bay of Pigs invasion in the early 1960s and the strict embargo, which remains mostly in effect to date.
Castro, who stepped down as president a decade ago because of gastrointestinal problems, was effusive in his praise of the Cuban people..
Castro touched on his father’s death shortly before his own victory in overthrowing US-backed strongman Fulgencio Batista in 1959.
Many Cubans feel Fidel is no longer in step with the times.
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Considered more pragmatic, the younger Castro also introduced market-style reforms to the state-dominated economy and increased personal freedoms, such as the right to travel overseas. One way or the other, it is hard for opinions to remain unbiased.
