MIAMI (AP) — Within half an hour of the Cuban government's official announcement that former President Fidel Castro had died, Miami's Little Havana teemed with life — and cheers.
Thousands of people banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban flags in the air and whooped in jubilation on Calle Ocho — 8th Street, and the heart of the neighborhood — early Saturday. Honking and strains of salsa music from car stereos echoed against stucco buildings, and fireworks lit up the humid night sky.
Police blocked off streets leading to Cafe Versailles, the quintessential Cuban American hotspot where strong cafecitos — sweetened espresso — were as common as a harsh word about Fidel Castro.
"Cuba si! Castro no!" they chanted, while others screamed "Cuba libre!"
Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. That was no surprise. Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants.
There were no reports of violence or any arrests during the demonstrations, Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Fallat said Saturday. Miami-Dade County officials said there were no plans to activate the emergency operations center — another sign of the more subdued reaction to Castro's death than might have previously been expected.
"They are celebrating but in a very peaceful way," Fallat said of the demonstrators.
Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.
Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.
The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.
On New Year's Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: "Next year in Cuba." But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as U.S. President Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households.
In Miami, where Havana is closer both geographically and psychologically than Washington, the news of Castro's death was long anticipated by the exiles who left after Castro took power, and in the decades since. Rumors have come and gone for decades, and Castro's death had become something of a joke — mostly because it seemed to happen so frequently.
This time, though, it was real.
"We're all celebrating, this is like a carnival," said 72-year-old Jay Fernandez, who came to Miami when he was 18 in 1961. He and his wife and another woman held up a bilingual sign he'd made four years ago when Castro first became ill. "Satan, Fidel is now yours. Give him what he deserves. Don't let him rest in peace."
Several blocks away, at the Bay of Pigs memorial, Antonio Hernandez, 76, rode his bicycle up in a light rain and stood at the eternal flame that honors the men who tried, and failed, to wrest Cuba from Castro's grip in 1961.
"Everybody's happy. Now this guy won't do any more damage," said Hernandez, who came to Miami on the Mariel boat lift in 1980. "His brother will now go down, too. But the world has to pay attention to this, not just we Cubans."
Wrote Valentin Prieto, a prominent Cuban-American blogger, on Facebook: "A few hours of sleep tonight is the very last thing fidel castro will ever rob me of." In his writings on his blog, Prieto never capitalized Castro's name.
Many Cubans made successful livings and raised families in Miami despite having to learn a new language and start their lives over. Exiles who arrived as teenagers with no money in their pockets became millionaires, political leaders, clergy members, teachers — influential members contributing to the sturdy fabric of American society.
Cemeteries in South Florida abound with the remains of those who fiercely wished Castro had died before them. Their children weep today because they could not see their parents and grandparents return to Cuba under a democratic regime, to see their homeland one more time.
Gabriel Morales, a 40-year-old financial executive, monitored social media early Saturday from his home in Miami. His parents both left Cuba decades ago. His father left Cuba before Castro took over, and then returned to visit during Castro's regime. He vowed never to return until the regime changed, Morales said.
Morales' mother left after Castro assumed power; her family had their property appropriated by the government, Morales said.
"Feels weird," Morales said in a text message to an Associated Press reporter. "Been waiting to hear this news all my life. Seems unreal."
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Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Lush reported from St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Replogle in Miami and Curt Anderson in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report.
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This contest is fueled by the following news: Fidel Castro declared that, he is not planning to return back to discharge the duties of the president of Cuba. The agency AP reported the news today. In connection with these circumstances, a meeting of the National assembly of Cuba is planned for the 24th of February, which should elect the successor to Fidel Castro. Before a series of surgical operations in July 2006, Fidel Castro appointed his brother Raul as acting president of Cuba. Fidel Castro, who is 81 years old, governed Cuba for 49 years. Legendary Fidel Castro, chairman of the Council of the State and the Council of the Ministers of Republic of Cuba and the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Cuba, was born on the 13th of August 1926. The date of birth may not be correct as the exact date and even month of his birth are not known or may be concealed. In 1949, Fidel Castro graduated in Law from the University of Havana and received a doctorate in Law. For some time, he practiced law as an advocate and particularly, took the cases of the poor free of charge. In 1953, Castro headed the armed revolt of Cuba against General Batista's regime; however, Fidel was arrested and was amnestied and released after 2 years in prison. After several years of the guerrilla war of Batista left the country, Fidel Castro took the command of the Cuban army and headed the government of Cuba. For more than 40 years Castro held the post of the Head of the Communist Party of Cuba and from 1976 - headed the Council of state. In the summer of 2006, Fidel underwent a complex operation and since then, Fidel made very few public appearances. On the 24th of February, 2008, the Cuban parliament should appoint members of The Council of State and also elect its new chairman. "I do not say goodbye to you. I want to fight as an ideological soldier. I will continue to write" Reflections of colleague Fidel". It will be one more weapon, which, it is possible to count-on. My voice will be heard" – which was mentioned in an address by the Cuban leader. Fidel Castro in History: Revolt of Matos: On October 10, 1959, Raul Castro was nominated for the Minister of the Armed Forces. This caused major discontent to the army commander, based in Camaguey Mr. Huber Matos. Huber Matos, along with his fourteen other officers, tendered their resignation on the same day and accused Fidel Castro of becoming a communist. Later on, he started preparing for a coup. During the night, Fidel Castro received the news on the phone that Huber Matos would start the operation on the morning of October 21st. Fidel Castro ordered Camilo Cienfuegos to go to Camaguey to disarm and detain Matos and his men. After some time, Fidel Castro himself arrived in Camaguey. The message was flashed on radio that Fidel Castro has come for investigating the emergency situation and all the citizens supporting the revolution should gather in the city square. During the rally in the city square, Fidel Castro addressed the gathered public with a short speech stating that a conspiracy was hatched and headed by Huber Matos, who, at present, was stuck in the regiment barracks. Fidel Castro added that he had come to crush the counter-revolution conspiracy. Fidel Castro invited all who believed in the destiny of the revolution, to follow him. Fidel Castro, unarmed, moved in front and the crowd followed him. He personally broke the lock on the gates of the barracks, disarmed the sentry and arrested the conspirators. Huber Matos was sentenced to 20 years in prison and after release, he was sent to Venezuela, where he joined the militant emigration; his son also became a visible figure in emigrant circles. Political reprisals: Reprisals against leaders of the Batista government and opposition members to Fidel Castro's regime (including the former fighters against Batista) started in Cuba soon after the revolution and continued further. Mass arrests were made, especially in 1961, when stadiums and other similar places were converted to keep the prisoners. Caribbean crisis: In 1962, the USA introduced an embargo on trade with Cuba and achieved in excluding Cuba from the Organization of the American States. Charges against Fidel Castro's government were that it assisted the revolutionaries in Venezuela after which the Organization of the American States, in 1964, imposed diplomatic and trading sanctions on Cuba. Chairman of the Council of States: 1965 - Transforms the "26th July Movement" into a single party of socialistic revolution in Cuba; October 1, 1965 – The party was renamed to the Communist Party of Cuba, Castro is elected as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the party; December 2, 1976 - he holds the post of President of the Council of States of Cuba. Fidel Castro has escaped attempts on his life several times. He was one of those leaders, whose life was under constant threat. The American Government and opponents of Fidel Castro and the America mafia were behind these 637 planned and executed assassination attempts. American mafia groups were dissatisfied with the shutdown of the famous Havana casinos and brothels after the victory of Fidel Castro. During the Presidency of Eisenhower - 38 attempts, Kennedy - 42, Johnson - 72, Nixon - 184, Carter - 64, Reagan - 197, Bush Sr. - 16, Clinton - 21 were made on the life of Fidel Castro. The historical curious thing is that Fidel Castro finally has successfully survived all these attempts on his life as the Presidents of the US, such as Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Reagan. Wars of Cuba in Africa and Asia: Despite the fact that small Cuba successfully resisted its giant neighbor, it also participated in many wars worldwide. Fidel Castro did not limit his struggle against the USA; he actively helped revolutionary forces of many Third World countries. His army, at one time, had 145000 personnel, excluding 110 000 in reserve and about one million men and women in territorial armies; 57 000 were sent to Angola, 5000 to Ethiopia, hundreds - to Southern Yemen, Libya, Nicaragua, Grenada, Syria, Mozambique, Guinea, Tanzania, North Korea, Algeria, Uganda, Laos, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone
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