Priya Kankanhalli
Often credited for uniting the divided country of Cuba and creating a socialist state, Fidel Castro proves to be extremely divisive in his death. With one half of the world audience expressing relief and the other half in somber tones, it is undeniable that Castro was impactful during his close-to 50 years of leadership. Yet, whether this legacy deserves praise or condemnation is widely debated, and the international stage is anxious for news of global relations following Castro’s death at age 90.In the aftermath of Castro’s passing, several complications unfold. Various countries must now decide whether to appear at his funeral – a symbolic appearance, declaring public alignment with Castro’s revolution and its surrounding principles, many of which are offensive and controversial. The U.S. faces an identical dilemma, which presents itself at an extremely delicate time, given the recent election of Donald Trump. U.S. Cuba relations, which were eased under President Obama in 2014, are now at risk. President-Elect Trump, with his radical views on foreign policy, is likely to reverse Obama’s increased accessibility for trade and travel with Cuba, if only just to bargain for a better deal himself. Critics of the pre-mortem U.S.-Cuba relations claim that Obama’s policies regarding Cuba are both repressive and not strategic. While a comradery between U.S. and Cuba is long awaited and desirable to many, the historical tension is not dissipated easily – a fact that the Trump administration may exploit in its renegotiations.In Cuba as well, the sentiment around Castro’s passing is incredibly mixed. The younger generation expresses disapproval of Fidel Castro’s lack of contribution to the Cuban economy, while the older generation is a bit more forgiving, faithfully dubbing Castro the Father of Cuba. This disunity, while indicating potential difficulties that Cuba might face in maintaining stable external relations, is not expected to drastically or immediately affect the Cuban political climate. Since Fidel’s younger brother Raúl Castro has been the ruler of the nation for the past eight years, the future of a Cuba without Fidel Castro has been anticipated and prepared for. However, fears of the Castro governance becoming a dynastic monopoly and causing stagnation of the Cuban economy are entirely justified.Sources:http://qz.com/846790/after-fidel-castros-death-donald-trumps-stance-on-cuba-is-straight-out-of-1962/http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/26/world/fidel-castro-death-reaction/http://abcnews.go.com/International/cuban-castaway-elian-gonzalez-remembers-fidel-castro-father/story?id=43802212Image: http://www.newyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/104405052_465.jpg
