Changes

Dalia Soto del Valle (1980–present)

Dalia Soto del Valle (1980–present)

| children    =

| children    =

| death        = July 2006<br/>Cuba (approx.; death disclosed November 25, 2016)

| death        = November 25, 2016

| deathmanner  = illness

| deathmanner  = illness

| burial      =

| burial      =

| deathnumber  =1,500,000 at home <br/>500-100,000 in Angola

| deathnumber  =1,500,000 at home <br/>500-100,000 in Angola

}}

}}

'''Fidel Castro''' (August 13, 1926 - c. July 2006) was the brutal [[atheistic]] [[Communist]] [[dictator]] of [[Cuba]] from 1959 to 2006. '''''He has not been seen and heard publicly since July 2006, when he underwent surgery for a "sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding" in a Communist hospital.'''''<ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/latin_america/july-dec06/castro_08-01.html</ref>  Engaging in [[liberal denial]], [[Communism|Communists]] in Cuba release grainy images of an apparently old man along with absurd quotes of Castro like this claim, "I don’t even remember what a headache feels like."<ref>http://indonesiakatakami.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/fidel-castro-publishes-article-criticizing-health-rumors/</ref>  On hot Cuban days a stand-in wearing heavy make-up and a scarf to conceal his young neck meets with foreign dignitaries, but Obama refuses to be humiliated by this Communist hoax by meeting with him. Rather than wait until [[Donald Trump]] was in power, Cuba timed its announcement of Castro's death for the slowest news moment of the year: late Friday night after [[Thanksgiving Day]], reminiscent of the release of hostages by [[Iran]] just before [[Reagan]] became president.

'''Fidel Castro''' (August 13, 1926 - November 25, 2016) was the brutal [[atheistic]] [[Communist]] [[dictator]] of [[Cuba]] from 1959 to 2006. Engaging in [[liberal denial]], [[Communism|Communists]] in Cuba release grainy images of an apparently old man along with absurd quotes of Castro like this claim, "I don’t even remember what a headache feels like."<ref>http://indonesiakatakami.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/fidel-castro-publishes-article-criticizing-health-rumors/</ref>  On hot Cuban days a stand-in wearing heavy make-up and a scarf to conceal his young neck meets with foreign dignitaries, but Obama refuses to be humiliated by this Communist hoax by meeting with him. Rather than wait until [[Donald Trump]] was in power, Cuba timed its announcement of Castro's death for the slowest news moment of the year: late Friday night after [[Thanksgiving Day]], reminiscent of the release of hostages by [[Iran]] just before [[Reagan]] became president.

Fidel Castro held the posts of [[Prime Minister|prime minister]] (1959-1976) and president of the Council of State and president of the Council of Ministers (1976-2006).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html#Govt</ref> His oppressive rule lasted almost 50 years and killed scores of thousands.  He has not been seen publicly since July 2006, when he underwent intestinal surgery, and is presumably no longer alive as of December 2009; the Communists running Cuba have no incentive to risk challenge to their power by announcing that he passed away.<ref>''[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-215_162-1859015.html State Secret: Is Castro Dead?]'', Brian Goodman, ''CBS News'', September 22, 2009.</ref> After a long absence from the public eye, he was purportedly shown in photographs in June 2010, released by the Cuban State News Agency. In August 2010, the Associated Press had a story of a purported Castro speech to the Cuban parliament.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/08/06/cuba-state-tv-fidel-castro-attend-parliament-meeting-time-years-1415326051/?test=latestnews</ref>  ''The fact remains there hadn't been a reputable, independent account of Castro being alive in nearly a year.'' Other authoritarian regimes, such as [[North Korea]] and [[Nazi Germany]] have engaged in "body-doubles" and actor/impersonators to hide the death or incapacitation of despots in the past.<ref>[http://www.mahalo.com/kim-jong-il-body-doubles Kim Jong Il Body Doubles]</ref><ref>[http://www.blackraiser.com/nredoubt/identity.htm Hitler body-double]</ref> In April 2011, Castro allegedly stepped down as head of the Cuban Communist Party, but it has not been confirmed that this was not a ruse.<ref>http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=41125</ref>

Fidel Castro held the posts of [[Prime Minister|prime minister]] (1959-1976) and president of the Council of State and president of the Council of Ministers (1976-2006).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html#Govt</ref> His oppressive rule lasted almost 50 years and killed scores of thousands.  He has not been seen publicly since July 2006, when he underwent intestinal surgery, and is presumably no longer alive as of December 2009; the Communists running Cuba have no incentive to risk challenge to their power by announcing that he passed away.<ref>''[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-215_162-1859015.html State Secret: Is Castro Dead?]'', Brian Goodman, ''CBS News'', September 22, 2009.</ref> After a long absence from the public eye, he was purportedly shown in photographs in June 2010, released by the Cuban State News Agency. In August 2010, the Associated Press had a story of a purported Castro speech to the Cuban parliament.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/08/06/cuba-state-tv-fidel-castro-attend-parliament-meeting-time-years-1415326051/?test=latestnews</ref>  ''The fact remains there hadn't been a reputable, independent account of Castro being alive in nearly a year.'' Other authoritarian regimes, such as [[North Korea]] and [[Nazi Germany]] have engaged in "body-doubles" and actor/impersonators to hide the death or incapacitation of despots in the past.<ref>[http://www.mahalo.com/kim-jong-il-body-doubles Kim Jong Il Body Doubles]</ref><ref>[http://www.blackraiser.com/nredoubt/identity.htm Hitler body-double]</ref> In April 2011, Castro allegedly stepped down as head of the Cuban Communist Party, but it has not been confirmed that this was not a ruse.<ref>http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=41125</ref>