Fidel Castro Dead at Age 90

[Kolechian Soviet Socialist Republic]

I just use it to poke fun at KJU. I'm MOSTLY pro-North Korea.

But, this is off-topic. Were there any nicknames for Mr Castro?

According to the NY Times obit, after a time people simply put a hand to their chin and the reference was understood.

That's pretty clever.

[Jersey Republic]

Riperoni Casteroni

[Maichuko]

It appears that the heavily Cuban communities of Florida are celebrating with fireworks.

[MERIZoC]

Your family may have profited under Batista but surely many many others didn't?

Cuba was already one of the richest countries in Latin America before Castro took power.

That doesn't mean much when all the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few landowners and oligarchs. You see a similar situation in Eastern Europe.

[Herskerstad]

Trump seemed pretty geared up in reversing Obama's policies with Cuba and his twitter certainly made note of this event. Should be interesting to see if Cuba will turn back into it's hermit kingdom state, or finally rid itself of it's cronyism.

[Ifreann]

Trump seemed pretty geared up in reversing Obama's policies with Cuba and his twitter certainly made note of this event. Should be interesting to see if Cuba will turn back into it's hermit kingdom state, or finally rid itself of it's cronyism.

Build a sea wall, and make Fidel pay for it.

[Pimps Inc]

Any other idea that doesn't result in bloodshed?

Of course not. It's America. All they do is intervention leading to violence and bloodshed.

Bay of Pigs though.

[Bakery Hill]

Your family may have profited under Batista but surely many many others didn't?

Cuba was already one of the richest countries in Latin America before Castro took power.

With massive unemployment, massive inequality, poor health and illiteracy, ruled by a corrupt kleptocracy with over ties to US organised crime. I don't care how good the Havana nightlife was, and the Cuban masses didn't either.

[Geilinor]

Cuba was already one of the richest countries in Latin America before Castro took power.

That doesn't mean much when all the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few landowners and oligarchs. You see a similar situation in Eastern Europe.

Wealth is now concentrated in the hands of a few Communist Party officials while Cubans get paid less than a $100 a month.

[Bakery Hill]

It appears that the heavily Cuban communities of Florida are celebrating with fireworks.

Well at least they aren't blowing up any planes.

[Herskerstad]

That doesn't mean much when all the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few landowners and oligarchs. You see a similar situation in Eastern Europe.

Wealth is now concentrated in the hands of a few Communist Party officials while Cubans get paid less than a $100 a month.

Fighting poverty starts at home I guess.

[MERIZoC]

That doesn't mean much when all the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few landowners and oligarchs. You see a similar situation in Eastern Europe.

Wealth is now concentrated in the hands of a few Communist Party officials while Cubans get paid less than a $100 a month.

The working class is undeniably better off. Healthcare, education, etc - they have been able to benefit from it.

[Bakery Hill]

That doesn't mean much when all the wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few landowners and oligarchs. You see a similar situation in Eastern Europe.

Wealth is now concentrated in the hands of a few Communist Party officials while Cubans get paid less than a $100 a month.

And have free or heavily subsidised housing, transportation, education, healthcare and food? Also giving a figure in US dollars doesn't tell us shit about the cost and standard of living in Cuba. Death to democratic centralism, but don't twist facts.

[Herargon]

My condoleances to the Cuban people and their socialistic brethren. With him a man has died of natural causes, instead of one of the sixhundred thirty-eight asassination attempts. He has oppressed the Cubans, yea, but nay did he try to create wars; for he was rather calm and reserved. Therein lieth for his death a silent last moment of the international.

Herargon

[Geilinor]

Wealth is now concentrated in the hands of a few Communist Party officials while Cubans get paid less than a $100 a month.

And have free or heavily subsidised housing, transportation, education, healthcare and food? Death to democratic centralism, but don't twist facts.

It's still not very much and housing tends to be of low quality. Cuba's per capita GDP is higher than Costa Rica's and Barbados' - the standard of living should be similar or higher.

[Bakery Hill]

And have free or heavily subsidised housing, transportation, education, healthcare and food? Death to democratic centralism, but don't twist facts.

It's still not very much and housing tends to be of low quality.

As I said in my edit, giving a figure in US dollars tells me nothing about the standard of living. That Cuba is relatively poor is undeniable. It's also undeniably better off than any nation in the Caribbean that flourishes under the freedom of capitalism. How are the poor doing over the water in Hispaniola?

[Proctopeo]

Rest in peace, Castro. Pretty much never agreed with you, but in the end, out of all the terrible dictators in history, I always thought he was one of the least terrible. That doesn't say much, though...

[Hajirah]

May Fidel rest in peace,knowing that he has done all that he could to make Cuba a better place and that he has inspired countless revolutionaries worldwide.A true hero for the oppressed people of the world!

[Bakery Hill]

And have free or heavily subsidised housing, transportation, education, healthcare and food? Death to democratic centralism, but don't twist facts.

Cuba's per capita GDP is higher than Costa Rica's and Barbados' - the standard of living should be similar or higher.

Costa Rica and Barbados you say?

http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/10/30/nea ... in-poverty
https://web.archive.org/web/20120423020 ... &Itemid=59

Almost ten percent of the Barbados population cannot satisfy their basic needs for food, and close to twenty percent are without other basic living standards.

More than 19 percent of homes in urban areas fell below the poverty line compared to 30.3 percent in rural areas. Costa Rica’s cities saw an extreme poverty rate of 5.2 percent compared to 10.6 percent in the countryside.

Except of course they don't have a good education system, or health care system, or subsidised food and housing. Because here's the thing about poverty. I grew up pretty poor by Western standards, we didn't have disposable income. I never had any games consoles, we never went on holidays, we never really ate out or went to the cinema, but I live in a country with a good welfare state, so I grew up healthy and happy.

[Dumb Ideologies]

OTP afterlife ship Castro/Kim Jong-Il

[Geilinor]

Cuba's per capita GDP is higher than Costa Rica's and Barbados' - the standard of living should be similar or higher.

Costa Rica and Barbados you say?

http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/10/30/nea ... in-poverty
https://web.archive.org/web/20120423020 ... &Itemid=59

Almost ten percent of the Barbados population cannot satisfy their basic needs for food, and close to twenty percent are without other basic living standards.

More than 19 percent of homes in urban areas fell below the poverty line compared to 30.3 percent in rural areas. Costa Rica’s cities saw an extreme poverty rate of 5.2 percent compared to 10.6 percent in the countryside.

Except of course they don't have a good education system, or health care system, or subsidised food and housing. Because here's the thing about poverty. I grew up pretty poor by Western standards, we didn't have disposable income. I never had any games consoles, we never went on holidays, we never really ate out or went to the cinema, but I live in a country with a good welfare state, so I grew up healthy and happy.

Do you think nobody goes hungry in Cuba? And yes, those countries do have subsidized education and health care.

[Kravanica]

I find it fascinating the amount of people here who are upset by this. He was a brutal tyrant and a disgusting human being. Cuba is better off without him.

[Dwalin]

It appears that the heavily Cuban communities of Florida are celebrating with fireworks.

Disgusting.

[Kravanica]

It appears that the heavily Cuban communities of Florida are celebrating with fireworks.

Disgusting.

Not really. Cubans don't much like him because he's kept their country under his iron grip for over half a century.

[MERIZoC]

Disgusting.

Not really. Cubans don't much like him because he's kept their country under his iron grip for over half a century.

Cuban expats don't like him. It's not as one sided in Cuba itself.