For almost six decades he ruled this island with the iron fist of tyranny. It was a regime based on fear, absolute autocracy, thought control and the suppression of christianity and free speech.
Castro was a thug who brandished an A.K 47 in one hand and a copy of the communist manifesto in the other all the while puffing on his ubiquitous cigars.
His brand of dialectical marxism kept his people in abject poverty and in almost complete isolation from the rest of the advanced western world: and he was happy to have it that way. Firing squads, the jailing of dissidents and disdain for human rights were commonplace in his socialist paradise.
He lived like a medieval king in an island fortress subjecting his people to daily harangues over radio and television.
Yesterday he went to meet his Maker and when the news arrived in Miami a million ex patriot Cubans went into all-out celebration.
Responding to this breaking news Donald Trump, President Elect, U.S.A. tweeted "The death of a brutal dictator, who caused his people unimaginable suffering."
On the other hand, our own Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, spoke this of Castro. "We mourn the passing of a legendary leader. It was a real honour to meet his three sons and his brother Raul on my recent visit to Cuba."
Perhaps we can now understand the depth of the problem that faces us from our parliament buildings in Ottawa.
Jubilate anyway.
Ian
