Archive | On February 19, 2008, Fidel Castro left power.

Fidel Castro resigned from the presidency of Cuba on February 19, 2008.

15 years ago, Fidel Castro resigned from the presidency of Cuba. It is a page of history that has been turned with the departure of this legendary figure. The father of the Cuban revolution ruled the country for nearly half a century. A look back at the coverage of this event on Radio-Canada.

“After a reign of nearly 50 years, Fidel Castro announces that he leaves power. »

— Pascale Nadeau

This is how presenter Pascale Nadeau announced the news on Téléjournal Montréal on February 19, 2008.

In Washington, correspondent Hugues Poulin reported on it. At 81, Fidel Castro says he no longer feels fit enough to lead the country. His brother Raul Castro, 76, is to succeed him.

Report by correspondent Hugues Poulin on the reactions following the departure of Fidel Castro as President of Cuba. The news bulletin is hosted by Pascale Nadeau. Note: some images presented in this report do not belong to Radio-Canada.

Following his hospitalization in July 2006 for a serious intestinal illness, Fidel Castro withdrew gradually. His resignation aroused many reactions in the United States, in particular from President George W. Bush, who claimed to want the end of the dictatorship.

In the Cuban community of Miami, the succession of Raul Castro is poorly received. It is the revolutionary old guard that retains its power.

On the very day of this announcement, Fidel Castro's illegitimate daughter, Alina Fernández, is visiting Montreal.

Journalist Jean-Hugues Roy met her at the Museum of Fine Arts on the occasion of an exhibition devoted to Cuban art.

Journalist Jean-Hugues Roy meets Alina Fernández, illegitimate daughter of Fidel Castro, following her father's departure as president of Cuba. The news bulletin is hosted by Pascale Nadeau.

Famous figure of the opposition to the Castro regime, Alina Fernández fled her country in 1993 pretending to be a tourist. “I think I felt the desire to leave Cuba since I was 10 or 12 years old and it took me 30 years to be able to fulfill this desire. »

The woman, who speaks French, is very critical of her father, but for her, his resignation will not change the regime in any way.

She has faith in a transition to democracy, but believes that these changes will come long after the death of Fidel Castro. On the possible disappearance of her father, she replies with detachment:

“We are always ready for the death of someone who has more than 80 years old. »

— Alina Fernández

Report by journalist Jean-Michel Leprince which traces the great moments in the life of former Cuban President Fidel Castro the day after his death.

The father of the Cuban revolution died on November 25, 2016 at the age of 90. The day after his death, journalist Jean-Michel Leprince presents to Téléjournal a long portrait of the former president.

“According to Cuban intelligence, Fidel Castro survived 638 assassination attempts by the CIA. He will have held 10 American presidents in check.

—Jean-Michel Leprince

• On July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro and a group of 150 men began the revolutionary armed struggle by attacking the Moncada barracks in Santiago de Cuba. This first offensive against the Batista regime failed and the rebels were imprisoned.
• Freed in 1955, Fidel Castro went into exile in Mexico and founded the July 26 Movement. The following year, this armed group launched peasant guerrillas in Cuba, which intensified until the triumph of the revolution.
• In January 1959, Fidel Castro and his armed troops announced the victory of the revolution and the overthrow of General Fulgencio Batista. In the months and years that followed, a new Cuban state took shape.
• In its first years in power, the government of Fidel Castro adopted a series of measures to put an end to social inequalities. But the new government sows terror among its opponents. Thus, between 1959 and 1964, 250,000 Cubans fled the regime of Fidel Castro and settled for the most part in the United States.

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