- In this commentary on Cuba’s Fidel Castro Ruz, Dominican writer, Rebecca Theodore asks- has history absolved him?
“But I do not fear prison, as I do not fear the fury of the miserable tyrant who took the lives of 70 of my comrades. Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me.”
In a speech that rang synonymous with Socrates at the portico of Athens for the alleged charge of impiety, or with Dr. King fighting for the civil rights of African Americans, or even Saint Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica, Dr. Fidel Castro, is still cleverly checking his adversaries, both from within and abroad.
Since that fateful arrest in 1953 for assaulting the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago in southern Cuba, Castro still controls his mind although nearly subdued by collapsing health.
Fidel Castro Ruz is the world’s longest-serving head of government and the leader of the Americas’ only communist country. Since he seized power in a 1959 revolution, El Comandante as he is affectionately called by his countrymen still glares the admiration of the world.
He endured the fall of the Soviet Union, the culmination of communism in Eastern Europe, antagonized ten American presidents and outwitted dozens of assassination attempts.
It is true that the Cuban Revolution is probably one of the most theatrical, polarizing political events of the twentieth-century. Critics and proponents alike may someday eulogize Castro on the pages of history as a tyrant who suppressed freedom, equality, and social justice.
Nonetheless, education and the intelligence of a human being in a revolutionary society have immensely prevailed over instinct. Castro has without doubt offered every Cuban and many Caribbean citizens the opportunity of an education free from discrimination.
Today, Castro’s 1959 revolution provides a compelling picture of Cuba in relation to the rest of the world. Cuba’s influence on Latin America and the Caribbean, its coalition with the Soviet Union from the 1960s until the downfall of the Soviet bloc in 1989, and its riotous relationship with the United States cannot go by unnoticed.
For someone who has reiterated that ‘all of the world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn,” Castro is now preparing his people politically and psychologically for his absence through the power of his pen.
Adhering to his own thoughts that ‘a revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past and that a revolution is a dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters’ his name will forever be printed on the pages of history and will again be read overtime for ‘one just man deserves more respect than a rogue with a crown.’
He has justified his point of view by proving that ‘revolution is the source of legal right’ in Cuba and there is indeed, according to French writer, François Hotman ‘a bond or contract between the government and its subjects.
Yet, assuming all this as truth, John Locke, in his essay on government, refutes this socio-politico principle with his maintenance ‘that when the natural rights of man are violated, the people have the right and the duty to alter or abolish the government.’
Hence, stunning doubts persist on who will be the leader who brings Cuba out of decades of seclusion? Who will be Raúl Castro’s heir?
Castro’s retirement draws the curtain on a political career that traversed the Cold War, survived US animosity, and a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. As one of the most controversial, combative, and charismatic rulers in history, the assessment by political scientist of how his illness and departure will transform politics continues to raise doubts about the future of the western hemisphere’s only communist state.
His wishes have always been to discharge his duties to his last breath for he believes that one has to be consistent right up to the end. After all, it is suffering and death that defines our humanity and as mortals we must die.
As to whether his policies will play a major role in a post Fidel Castro Cuba or continue to plague the US beyond the grave remains to be seen.
Notwithstanding, Fidel Castro Ruz continues to fight in the battle of ideas. That’s all he can now offer his people. His pen has become mightier than his sword after
so many years of struggle but that too is irrelevant.
The question is – has history finally absolved him?
Rebecca Theodore was born on the north coast of the Caribbean island of Dominica and writes on national security and political issues. She resides in Toronto Canada and can be reached at [email protected].
Todo esta muy lindo viva fidel viva la revolusion cubana,hasta la victoria siempre
History will only absolve Castro when he and his regime addresses the social and political condition of the neglected, Black/Afro Cubans.
Please research/Google this before replying to my comment.
As always every one has a different opinion. This is what makes it interesting and makes life interesting. We do look for the positives but we must be honest.
Fidel Castro is deceiving himself if he thinks that history will absolve him. He will always be remembered as Fidel Castro, the dictator who oppressed Cubans, his people. Many fled to the U.S. Some of them died while trying to flee.
Fidel is likened to Hitler. They promised the people a better life and what they got for it was a living Hell, oppression and poverty. The majority of them are still experiencing it. One has to be a friend of Fidel and his regime and to outwardly denounce the democratic world to live comfortably in Cuba.
Cubans have to be careful not to oppose Fidel Castro otherwise they will be unfairly persecuted and prosecuted and may never be seen again. This is the reason why they applaud him. It may only be on the surface. They fear him and his regime.
I was informed by someone who visited Cuba as a tourist that they were only allowed to visit certain areas. They did not see any poverty. It was because those areas were prohibited. In addition, they felt that their rooms were rigged.
I always pray to God to remove any animosity in my heart. I do believe that He has done a good job of that as I continue to pray to Him. Therefore, I have no hatred in my heart for Fidel or any one. Nevertheless, as God grants enlightenment, I must speak the truth.
I will not applause Fidel Castro. Think of also Dominicans who went to Cuba when it was a rich, flourishing country, just as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Many of us may have had relatives who went to Cuba and when Fidel took over they became so poor that they were not able to return to their homeland.
I had relatives who went to those countries. I was very young, if not yet born but I heard about them. I know of only one who returned, fortunate too, while I was still a young child.
Make no mistake. I am predicting that the U.S. and other democratic governments, specifically the progressive ones, will never absolve Fidel Castro. Individuals could do so but not those governments unless they are non-democratic ones.
Fidel Castro has always been at war with them, the democratic countries, be it war of words and policies. How can they, the superpowers ever absolve him? Sorry, the little people who do not have authority do not matter.
Ps. Cuba is a country with two faces. one for the locals and the other for the tourist..and it’s easy to understand if you’ve lived in the country
Cuba lives in the hearts and minds of thousands of professionals and people around the world. That history will absolve Fidel is something that only they will know when the time comes.
For now, the question is good; but premature.
Cuba and Fidel are a feeling far beyond expression.
Personally I believe that Fidel doesn’t have to wait on history to absolve him. We need to understand why he made the decisions that he made. When the world turned its back on Cuba because of big brother America, the only nation who stood with him was the Soviet Union. And as the saying goes “scratch my back and I scratch yours” what choice did he have? We need to remember what Cuba was like under the leadership of Batista, for those of us that have been fortunate to live in Cuba and speak with the persons who were victims of Batista; we understand why Fidel did what he did. And it can be argued that maybe it’s time to move away from the ideology of the Cuban Revolution (almost 50 years later) given the evolution of technology, world governance, ideas, etc, but it can also be argued how important the revolution was in liberating the Cuban people.
So again I say yes! History will absolve him, and although the younger generation has become prey to vanity and all those worldly pleasures, they are still taught important values like “ser culto es el único modo de ser humano” and that I’m sure they will carry to their grave and will forever be grateful to Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution.
Rebecca, absolution assumes the commitment of a crime, misdeed or sin. I do not hold for one moment that Fidel Castro is a spotless saint but it would have been helpful for you to articulate what he stands accused of if the headline is to make any sense. On the other hand it is difficult to imagine anyone, unless possessed of a sick mind, eulogizing “…a tyrant, who suppressed freedom,equality, and social justice” …your words, not mine!
Yeah………. Viva el Comandante en jefe Fidel Castro Ruz and su hermano Raul para siempre!
patria o muerte,
Venceremos!…..
Cuba no te olvidare nunca.
I once pass by a park and saw a small group of ppl gathering. Out of curiousity i asked what was happening and was told that there is a posibility that Mr.Castro was inside on of the buildings.Couple hours later when i pass back the place was packed with ppl…without confirmation the Cuban ppl from that area came to just get a glimpse of him.
I am saying to you that i dont think Mr.Castro worries if history will absolve him because his ppl already has.
When Mr.castro appeared the crowd erupted..Castro..Castro…Commandante….i witnessed with my own eyes Mr.Castro ignoring his security and his waiting limousine and went to shake hands with the crow..a man who held his infant daughter over his head to get a glimpse of the Commandante was noticed by him and he took the daughter on his shoulder….i could clearly see that this was and will be the greatest moment EVER for this father cause he can proudly say that El Commandant Y Jefe held his daughter in his arms.
I got goose bumps just being a witness to this great man…Mr.Castro will always be admired by me!!!!
yes it has! Viva Fidel y Raúl, viva la revolución cubana. Venceremos!