Oscar De La Huerte answered
Fidel Castro was the president of Cuba until his retirement in 2008. He is known as a controversial and divisive figure due to his Marxist-Leninist views, and is responsible for turning Cuba into a single-party socialist state.
Who is Fidel Castro Castro initially took on the role of Prime Minister in 1959, eventually becoming President in 1976. His tenure lasted until 2008 when he was forced to resign due to poor health.
He is widely known as a leading communist figure, a stance that put him at loggerheads with the US for much of his presidency.
Castro led the revolution that overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959, and shortly after was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Cuba.
Fidel Castro: President of Cuba Castro became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in 1965 and, over the years, was responsible for leading Cuba towards his vision of a one-party socialist republic.
In 1976 he became president of the Council of State as well as of the Council of Ministers. He also held the supreme military rank of Comandante en Jefe ("Commander in Chief") of the Cuban armed forces.
On July 31, 2006 - and after undergoing intestinal surgery - Castro transferred his responsibilities to the vice-president, (who was incidentally his younger brother) Raúl Castro.
One major criticism that can be leveled at Castro is that, despite his socialist principles, American business and financial magazine Forbes listed him among the world's richest people (with an estimated net worth of $550 million).
Who is Fidel Castro Castro initially took on the role of Prime Minister in 1959, eventually becoming President in 1976. His tenure lasted until 2008 when he was forced to resign due to poor health.
He is widely known as a leading communist figure, a stance that put him at loggerheads with the US for much of his presidency.
Castro led the revolution that overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959, and shortly after was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Cuba.
Fidel Castro: President of Cuba Castro became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in 1965 and, over the years, was responsible for leading Cuba towards his vision of a one-party socialist republic.
In 1976 he became president of the Council of State as well as of the Council of Ministers. He also held the supreme military rank of Comandante en Jefe ("Commander in Chief") of the Cuban armed forces.
On July 31, 2006 - and after undergoing intestinal surgery - Castro transferred his responsibilities to the vice-president, (who was incidentally his younger brother) Raúl Castro.
One major criticism that can be leveled at Castro is that, despite his socialist principles, American business and financial magazine Forbes listed him among the world's richest people (with an estimated net worth of $550 million).
