Fidel Castro dead at 90

[I’m not Stu]

Castro was a horrible communist tyrant. May he be spared a bad fate.

[I’m not Stu]

Castro was in some ways a tragic figure. We must remember the cold war reality did play a role in his regime becoming more and more authoritarian (and the U.S. stance pretty much pushed them further into Soviet arms, which was avoidable). I do appreciate his influence in rising of the "pink tide" and impressive work in fields of health care. Unfortunately, bad things can't be denied. He was a dictator.

Cuba is one unlucky country: from one bad regime to another.

That is true. Cuba always ends up with bad regimes. Cuba's healthcare is also terrible. While Cuba's healthcare is free, it is inadequate.

[I’m not Stu]

Castro was in some ways a tragic figure. We must remember the cold war reality did play a role in his regime becoming more and more authoritarian (and the U.S. stance pretty much pushed them further into Soviet arms, which was avoidable). I do appreciate his influence in rising of the "pink tide" and impressive work in fields of health care. Unfortunately, bad things can't be denied. He was a dictator.

Cuba is one unlucky country: from one bad regime to another.

That is true. Cuba always ends up with bad regimes. Cuba's healthcare is also terrible. While Cuba's healthcare is free, it is inadequate.

Yes, though it's an improvement from the previous era. Still years of communism and subsquent economic isolation took a tool.

I hope Trump doesn't reverse the progress Obama made with Cuba. Lifting the embargo would also help agriculture in the US and Cuba's economy, especially now that some reforms in Cuba have been made, like allowing some private industry.

[I’m not Stu]

An interesting piece of trivia is that my uncle once met Fidel Castro.

[I’m not Stu]

Did anyone see Justin Trudeau's statement?

I honestly had to look that up. I thought for sure it was a spoof of some sort.

And being the longest serving president is a bit easier when you don't really have to worry about running for re-election...

There aren't a bunch of Cubans living in a critical swing area of the country, so Canada has no need to make Castro out to be a boogey man.

Same is true in the US, except for some parts of the East Coast, especially Florida. Castro was no boogeyman, he was just an old dictator who was no threat after the Cold War. It was also a real honor that my uncle got to meet Castro.