Photos: Cuba marks Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday

What the report says

Cuba has marked the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s birth with a series of public commemorations in Havana, according to Al Jazeera. The events included a gala at the Karl Marx Theatre, along with the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from left-wing organizations in the region. The centenary was observed on Thursday, with official tributes highlighting Castro’s role in the 1959 revolution and his long rule of the island.

The article says Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel paid tribute to Castro, while Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother and successor, received a standing ovation when he appeared at the Havana event. Raul Castro is described as the last surviving leader of Cuba’s 1959 revolution and as still influential in the country despite stepping down as president in 2018.

Al Jazeera also places the commemoration in the context of Cuba’s current economic strain. It reports that the country is facing a worsening crisis after a fuel blockade imposed by the Trump administration in January, followed by new sanctions aimed at pressuring the government for political and economic change. The outlet says these measures have added to existing US sanctions and a failed domestic financial overhaul, underscoring why Castro’s legacy continues to shape politics and public life in Cuba.