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Deborah Jacobi

Why World Leaders Admire Castro

Fidel Castro, the revolutionary, cruel dictator who ruled communist Cuba for 47 years died this week at the age of 90. His death brought notable words of admiration from communist friends along with praise and honor from respectable world leaders.

Putin called him “wise and strong”and China similarly adored him, “A dear comrade and true friend of the Chinese people who made immortal contributions to the development of socialism around the world.”

Britain’s Labour party leader Corbyn praised Castro, “He will be remembered both as an internationalist and a champion of social justice.’

The EU’s Jean-Claude Juncker called Castro a ‘hero for many’ and neglected to mention that he was also a tyrant to millions.

Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister whose father Pierre visited Cuba in 1976, considered Castro, “A family friend, a remarkable leader and a legendary revolutionary.”

Pope Francis expressed his sadness at the passing of the honorable Fidel Castro Ruz.

Even Prince Harry joined the noble throng and observed a minute of silence to mourn the passing of the charismatic despot.

Few world leaders voiced their concerns for the oppressed people of Cuba, though President-elect Trump spoke to their cause, “Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.”

Why was Castro revered by so many leaders in the free world?

Castro became a hero and a leader after successfully leading guerrilla warfare against corrupt dictator Battista. Batista became president at a time when Cuba was one of the wealthier countries in Latin America. Batista failed to uphold the economy and became a ruthless dictator, removing political freedoms and ruling by terror. He carried out wide scale public executions.

When Castro overthrew Batista the people cheered and gladly embraced him as their new leader?

Tragically Castro and Batista were born from the same mold.

Castro murdered thousands by firing squad.

Praised by the free world for providing quality healthcare and high literacy rates, (something the west still struggles with) world leaders disregarded Castro’s 47 years of torture.

Some Cubans have reported that the health care system is two tiered with one system for the government and a less effective one for the people. Over the counter drugs are rationed unless you are in Castro’s family or included in his close circle of government thugs.

As for the literacy rate, Cuba’s population has not expanded as other countries have. No sign of immigrants lining the shores or Syrian refugees seeking asylum on Cuba’s pretty landscape. It’s true that Castro’s people are literate but the literate are also indoctrinated by Castro’s distinct brand of propaganda. Barbaric countries too often use the educational system to brainwash and control their people.

What was once one of the most economically strong countries in Latin America is today an impoverished state, yet socialists and communists around the world delight in Castro’s brand of equality. Everybody in Cuba is equally poor. What could be more equal than that?

The following are other ways in which Castro created an “admirable” society:

1) Castro imprisoned, tortured and murdered thousands of his own people.

2) He threatened the world with nuclear weapons.

3) He aligned himself with some of the most barbaric leaders of the 20th century including Arafat, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Chavez and the inhumane Arab states with whom he shared their aggressive stance on Israel.

4) Castro persecuted the gay population.

Alan Ginsberg, the famous 60s poet, visited Havana University in 1965 to voice his objections to Castro’s homophobic attitude. Ginsberg joked about the administration and suggested Castro’s brother Raoul was gay. Ginsberg was run out of town and forcefully placed on an Aeroflot plane to Prague. The students Ginsberg left behind faced severe consequences for having attended Ginsberg’s jovial, reckless lecture. The family who hosted Ginsberg was punished for “consorting with foreigners.”

5) By 1965 Castro had erected concentration camps for homosexuals. “Work Makes You Free” was replaced with “Work Will Make You Men.”

6) Religion was frowned upon for many years though surprisingly Castro protected the Jewish community from anti-Semitism. In 1992 the constitution was changed and freedom of religion became more acceptable.

7) Private enterprise was eliminated as were the redundant labor unions. Castro sunk the economy.

8) In 1966 Castro facilitated warfare training camps for Palestinians.

9) He supported Syria and provided them with 4000 troops to battle Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

10) By 1980 Cubans faced such abject poverty that Castro requested President Carter accept 3,500 refugees. Carter obliged and Castro promptly rounded up 150,000 criminals, the mentally ill and suspected gays and shipped them to the Florida shores. Carter lost the election the following year to Ronald Reagan.

11) In 1981 Castro accused Reagan of biological warfare after a dengue fever outbreak.

12) Women and mothers were heartlessly thrown into dark prison cells  that were infested with roaches and rats.

13) Angola requested help from Cuba during South Africa’s aggressive years. Castro warmed to the prospect of having another Marxist state within his realm of influence and sent in Cuban troops. The Cuban military strengthened Angola and a treaty was established whereby Nambia regained its freedom from Pretoria which resulted in the demise of  Apartheid. Later it became apparent Castro had used nerve gas on the UNITA troops.

In 2015 Obama removed Cuba from the US terrorist list.

Obama praised Castro as “A singular figure whose socialist policies had an enormous impact on the world around him.”

Cubans in Florida are praying that Cuba becomes a democracy.

As the left wing socialists of the world swoon over Castro’s “admirable socialist regime” I am left wondering if some on the left would similarly admire that other communist dictator Stalin if he had died this week.

Progressive left wing Democrats repeatedly bash Israel as though it is an evil state. Perhaps Israel is intolerable to them because it is no longer a socialist state as it was in its formative years.

How wicked does a socialist despot have to be before a socialist will call him evil? Today the left consider socialism to be the absolute truth and capitalism and capitalist states are despised as the greatest evil on earth. Perhaps that is why today’s socialist leaders praised one of the most heinous, wicked statesman of the 20th century. Castro the communist was admired and adored because he, like them, loathed capitalism.

About the Author
Deborah is an author, speaker, political writer, and health coach. Her books, The Intimate Act of Eating, a cosmic approach to food, and The Moral Act of Eating, a sacred approach to food, were recently released and are available in Jewish bookstores in the U.S., Israel, and London, Deborah resides in Jerusalem, Israel and divides her time between Israel, London and the U.S.