Celebration of Fidel Castro’s life held in Vancouver
Posted November 27, 2016 12:47 pm.
Last Updated November 27, 2016 5:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Justin Trudeau found himself the target of international scorn and ridicule for calling Fidel Castro “a remarkable leader”, but the Prime Minister is hardly the only one doling out such praise.
Following news of Castro’s death, Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) issued a statement lauding his “legacy of over 70 years of steadfast commitment and accomplishments in the fight for a better world.”
The group also held a candlelight vigil for the late Cuban leader in downtown Vancouver.
Castro is undoubtedly a polarizing historical figure: upon news of his death, Cuban exiles in Miami danced in the streets as world leaders issued statements of condolence to the Cuban people.
“I think that a lot of the issues that people have with Fidel Castro are related to the root of the Cuban revolution, which was about making Cuba a more equal society for all,” says Tamara Hansen, a VCSC coordinator. “Many people who were very wealthy and lost a lot of the wealth during the Cuban revolution have continued to hold that against the Cuban revolution rather than to look objectively at the gains that have been made.”
While not of Cuban descent, Hansen has traveled to Cuba numerous times and has written extensively on the subject. She says Castro’s work and legacy is supported by many of the Cuban people she meets.
“As Fidel said in his own speech in a courtroom in Cuba, history will absolve him, and that people will understand that he made many great contributions… to world history,” she adds.
