Obama expresses condolences over Castro's death
US President Barack Obama has expressed his condolences over the death of Cuba’s legendary leader, Fidel Castro.
“Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people,” Obama said in a statement on Saturday.
“History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him,” the US president noted.
Expressing his sympathy with the Cuban people, Obama said, “In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.”
This is while President-elect Donald Trump criticized the former Cuban president, saying Castro left a legacy of "unimaginable suffering."
Trump, however, promised that his administration "will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."
Earlier in the day, Castro passed away at the age of 90. He ruled Cuba for five decades until 2006 and before ceding power to his brother Raul.
The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and placed an official embargo against the country in 1962.
The two countries became ideological foes soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power and their ties remained hostile even after the end of the Cold War.
The two countries held 18 months of secret talks that led to a joint announcement on December 17, 2014, that the two long-time adversaries would restore diplomatic relations and release prisoners on both sides.
The United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in July 2015. Despite this, Washington continues to maintain its commercial, economic, and financial embargo, which makes it illegal for US corporations to do business with Cuba.
The US president, who visited Havana in March, has been engaged in a row with the Republicans in control of the Congress to lift the full embargo on Havana, but has failed so far.
Some portions of the embargo have been relaxed but not enough to appeal to Havana. Regular commercial flights have also resumed and cruise ships can now sail from Miami to Havana.
In the meantime, Washington keeps pressuring the Cuban authorities over what it claims are human rights violations in the large Caribbean island country.
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