Cuba mourns death of revolutiory leader Fidel Castro

Hava, Nov 27: Cuba plunged into nine days of mourning after the death of its revolutiory leader and former President Fidel Castro, who died late on Friday at age 90. The 20th century icon’s body was due to be cremated at a private ceremony in Hava on Saturday, BBC reported. Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings across the island tion as Cubans mourn someone who was a part of their lives for decades.

In Miami, a US city with a large Cuban community, there were celebrations after Castro’s death was announced, with people banging pots and cheering.

The US cut ties with Cuba in 1961 amid rising Cold War tensions and imposed a strict economic embargo which remains in place more than half a century on.

Under President Barack Obama, the relationship warmed and diplomatic ties were restored last year. A mourning period began on Saturday and will be observed in Cuba until the urn with Castro’s ashes is taken to the south-eastern city of Santiago de Cuba to be laid to rest there on December 4, BBC reported.

A series of memorials will be held in Hava before that and Castro’s ashes will travel along the route of the Caravan of Freedom that took place in January 1959. According to BBC, many in Hava were in tears on Saturday, genuinely moved by the loss of a man they consider to have freed their country from Washington’s grasp. (IANS)