Tribute to Comrade Fidel Castro

Comrade Fidel Castro - the name is uttered with affection by some, with hostility by others, but it calls up history for everyone. The elements of his past life are prevalent even today: revolutionary movements, the Cold War, the conflict between east versus west, north versus south, communism versus capitalism. He was idealistic and pragmatic, sharply intelligent, a reckless and visionary leader endorsed by Marxism-Leninism who stood up to US domination of Latin America, brought healthcare and education to the poor, and inspired socialist movements across the world. The historic revolutionary leader passed away on Friday aged 90, after defying the US during a half-century of iron-fisted rule and surviving the eclipse of global communism. I pay tribute to the revolutionary Cuban leader and hope that history will remember the enormous impact of this singular figure on his people as well as the world around him.