Cuba’s Fidel Castro, who defied US for 50 years, has died

Former Cuban president and leader of the Communist revelation, Fidel Castro has died aged 90, state TV has announced.

Despite 11 American presidents acting with varying degrees of antagonism towards Fidel Castro, the revolutionary managed to stay in power once his revolution succeeded in 1959.

July 31, 2006 – Castro announces has had operation, temporarily cedes power to brother Raul.

“The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening”, President Raul Castro announced on national television on Saturday. The gala celebrated key moments in his life, including repelling the US-backed attempt to invade in the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

Fidel Castro planned the overthrow of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista, launching a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953.

Castro resigned his role as president in February 2012, allowing his brother Raúl to take over as president. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro’s daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana. His policies soon became unpopular with many Cubans, who began fleeing the island. The U.S. recognized the new Cuban government within days. Cuba and Russian Federation became key players in the Cuban Missile Crisis – arguably the most unsafe confrontation of the Cold War, which nearly ended in a nuclear show-down.

After failing to maintain ties with Washington, Cuba became isolated from its neighbor as the U.S. chose to cut all trade links with the Caribbean state.

Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90. Castro never faltered from criticizing the US while championing his Socialist state for anti-imperialism and humanitarianism.

Castro was born Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz on August 13, 1926 in the small eastern village of Biran. Castro was “relentless in his dealings with his enemies”, said Bernd Wulffen, Germany’s former ambassador to Cuba. He was succeeded by his brother Raul.

Throughout the Cold War, Fidel Castro was Washington’s bete noire.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, an isolated Cuba fell into a deep economic crisis that lasted for years and was known as the “special period”.

His death was reported by the Associated Press, citing state media in Cuba.

Having proclaimed “socialism or death” earlier in his life, the elder Castro said little about these steps towards normalization between the two countries. Although Castro never confirmed remarrying, reportedly Wednesday former schoolteacher Dalia Soto del Valle and had five sons.