Fidel Castro is the long-time leader of
Cuba, only ceding power in 2008 (after almost 50 years of rule) due to failing health. Castro played an important role in the Cuban Revolution and took power when the previous President fled the island. He is considered a Marxist or a Leninist and has run
Cuba as a borderline
Socialist/
Communist country.
Edit Speech Relevance
Early in '
A Time For Choosing', Reagan tells a story:
Not too long ago two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my friends turned to the other and said, "We don't know how lucky we are." And the Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are! I had someplace to escape to." In that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on Earth.
Edit Source Links
Fidel Castro (Wikipedia)