Cubans turn out in thousands to pay tribute to Castro

Cubans have turned in thousands in the capital, Havana, to pay their respects to Fidel Castro, the iconic revolutionary leader who ruled the country for nearly half a century.

Throngs of people showed up at Havana's Plaza of the Revolution on Monday for the start of an emotional, week-long farewell service for Castro.

“Fidel is everything to us, the soul of this country who gave everything, all his life,” said Tania Jimenez, a 53-year-old mathematician carrying a rose in tears.

Many had even stayed overnight near the historic monument. Josefina Vayan Bravo, a 44-year-old housewife, said she was in the plaza since 6:00 pm on Sunday.

"I don't know what to say," Bravo said before breaking into sobs.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to swarm the place for bidding farewell to Castro, who died at 90 in Cuba late on Friday night. The government has declared nine days of national mourning.

“He's the father of all Cubans. My dad was my dad, but he couldn't give me what (Castro) gave me. He gave me everything. My freedom. My dignity,” said Lourdes Rivera, a 66-year-old retired civil servant.

“It's a terrible sadness. Everyone's feeling it here. Everyone will be there,” said Orlando Alvarez, a 55-year-old jeweler.

The homage service in honor of the late leader will stretch for 13 hours on Monday and take place again on Tuesday.

Castro’s ashes will begin a three-day procession east across Cuba on Wednesday, before being interred on Sunday in Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago, the country's second largest city.

Castro came to power in 1959. He was known for his anti-imperialist ideas and was particularly opposed to Washington’s capitalist agenda.

He survived hundreds of attempts on his life, many of them believed to have been orchestrated by the US.

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