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Fidel Castro, former president of Cuba, dies at 90

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 7 February 2017, 1:21 IST

Fidel Castro, Cuba's former president and leader of the Communist revolution, has died aged 90.

The Cuban government has announced that Castro's funeral will take place of 4 December.

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008. The revolutionary leader retired from the public eye in 2006 after an emergency surgery to treat intestinal bleeding.

A Marxist-Leninist and Cuban nationalist, Fidel Castro also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1961 until 2011.

It was during Fidel Castro's administration that Cuba became a one-party communist state and industry and business were nationalised.

Due to his health issues, Fidel Castro had temporarily transferred power to his younger brother Raul Castro, who was the defence minister. Raul then permanently took Fidel Castro's place as president of Cuba in 2008.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Communist Party leader Sitaram Yechury and Railway Minister Sureh Prabhu also paid tributes on Twitter to the Cuban revolutionary.

Also Read: Fidel Castro dies at 90. Top quotes from the iconic leader

Also Read: Life & times of Fidel Castro: the revolutionary who defied US for 50 years

First published: 26 November 2016, 11:15 IST