Cuba today marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro amid one of the most severe economic and political crises in its history.
More than 1,500 activists and representatives of sympathetic organizations from over 60 countries across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia journeyed to Havana this week to take part in commemorative events honouring Castro, according to the Cuban government.
“Fidel’s legacy speaks to us today with greater force than ever,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said at Monday’s opening of the international conference on Castro’s legacy, Reuters reported.
Diaz-Canel added that it was important to remember Castro not only as a historical figure, but also “as a guide for overcoming the challenges before us today, in the real Cuba of 2026.”
The commemoration comes amid increasingly strained relations between Havana and Washington. In January, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposed an oil embargo against the island to pressure the Cuban government. Washington has also toughened sanctions in what the Cuban government describes as an unprecedented attempt to cripple its finances and operations.
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