Hundreds of thousands of Cubans have bid a final farewell to their late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in the city of Santiago de Cuba where his ashes will be finally laid to rest.
Football legend Diego Maradona joined the funeral of his “second father,” declaring “I feel Cuban.
People with teary eyes waved flags, sang the national anthem and chanted, “I am Fidel.” Press TV reported.
Dignitaries from Cuba and other countries also took part in the final funeral. Officials from Ecuador, China, South Africa, Venezuela and Bolivia took to the podium and praised Castro’s contribution in resisting the imperialism.
Cuban President Raul Castro spoke about Fidel and his socialist ideals.
Fidel Castro showed it was “possible to firmly maintain the inalienable principles of our sovereignty without fear to the nuclear blackmail of the United States during those days of the missile crisis in October 1962,” Raul said in his speech.
Raul also added that Fidel’s images and statues will not be displayed at public places and roads will not be named after him. “The leader of the revolution strongly opposed any manifestation of cult of personality,” said Raul Castro.
The ashes of the Cuban revolutionary icon will be interred near the remains of Cuba’s independence hero Jose Marti.
Castro died on November 25th at the age of 90. Castro, who survived 636 assassination attempts, was considered as a symbol of resistance against imperialism.
