By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Sat. Nov. 26, 2016: A 5:08 a.m. tweet by Donald Trump announcing the death of former Cuban President and Revolutionary Fidel Castro has some trolls saying it should have been him.
@feminismendes wrote: “It should’ve been you” while @JustCallMeLore tweeted: “I wish he was you” they responded to Trump’s one line tweet that said simply: “Fidel Castro is dead!”
@manuscript took it a step further by tweeting in response: “Donald Trump is dead!” Others mocked the tweeted with @SugarmanSpeaks tweeting: “That’s all you have to say? Did you think of that all by yourself?! Brilliant lol. #Inspire” while @Jaytweets responded sarcastically: “lol man good presidential tweet there.”
@mcbridetd added: “You mean you JUST found out Donald? You really should start getting those intelligence briefings, you know” while @Yashar twetted: “Did you just wake up?”
@JeffreyGuterman was more political, focusing on Castro’s long time relationship with Russia by tweeting: “Have you sent your condolences to #Putin yet? #FidelCastro.”
CASTRO DEATH
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, 90, died late yesterday according to President Raul Castro, who made the announcement on national TV in an unexpected late night broadcast. “The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening (03:29 GMT Saturday),” he said. “Towards victory, always!”
Fidel Castro is set to be cremated later today, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016. A period of official mourning has been declared on the island until 4 December, when his ashes will be laid to rest in the south-eastern city of Santiago.
Fidel Castro had essentially been retired from political life for several years.
Castro was the longest serving non-royal leader of the 20th Century. He came to power in Cuba after he and his small army of guerrillas, including the late Che Guevara, overthrew the military leader Fulgencio Batista in 1959 to widespread popular support.
Within two years of taking power, he declared the revolution to be Marxist-Leninist in nature and allied the island nation firmly to the Soviet Union. Fidel Castro maintained his rule through 10 US presidents and survived scores of attempts on his life by the CIA. He governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008.
Fidel Castro temporarily handed over power to his brother in 2006 as he was recovering from an acute intestinal ailment. Raul Castro officially became president two years later. In April, he gave what has become his last speech on the final day of the country’s Communist Party congress.
REACTIONS
US President Barack Obama in a statement extended condolences to Fidel Castro’s family and the Cuban people.
“In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America,” he said.
Latin American leaders have been quick to pay tribute.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Castro was a “great friend” of Mexico, while to El Salvador’s President Salvador Sanchez Ceren he was an “eternal companion.”
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said “revolutionaries of the world must follow his legacy.”
While the CARICOM Secretary General said on Facebook that Fidel Castro was a true friend of the Caribbean Community.
But his death was met with celebration by some in the Cuban exile community in Little Havana, Cuba. Some popped champagne corks, others clanged pots and waved the Cuban flag as they cheered Castro’s death.
Fidel Castro is survived by nine children and 12 siblings.
