Fidel Castro is dead and there’s been a myriad of reactions across the world.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has extended remarks about feeling “sorrow” over Castro’s death and how his father Pierre Trudeau was “proud to call him a friend” in his first appearance since his death.
These comments have sent people into frenzies over how Justin failed to mention Castro was a dictator and had less-than-stellar human rights policies.
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After hearing the people’s cries over how he remembered the Cuban leader, Justin has now gone back and expanded on what Castro was – a dictator.
It may have been a case of trying to be respectful after the man had just passed, but people aren’t taking kindly to what Justin has said.
During the Castro regime though, Canada and Cuba had good diplomatic and economic relations so was Justin really in the wrong?
He should have given a reaction that better summed up what Castro was to Cuba instead of being flowery as he had already stated some negative comments.
Justin had brought up human rights issues with Cuban officials earlier this month.
He isn’t 100 per cent in agreeance with everything Cuba has been doing.
Those who have been saying Justin is a “disgrace” and “an international embarrassment” need to tone back their over-the-top comments.
The critics have seemed to forget that Canada and Cuba have remained in each other’s good graces for a long period of time.
In 1959, Castro took control of the Cuban government and Canada was one of two countries to not break relations with Cuba.
From prime minister John Diefenbaker all the way to Stephen Harper, trade relations were strong.
Maybe Justin was just backing up what he saw and what history had shown between the two countries.
Pierre and Castro were known to be good friends and the Cuban leader was even an honorary pallbearer at the senior Trudeau’s funeral in 2000.
Even though the two were friends, Pierre had been critical of Cuba’s human rights policies and military involvement in Africa.
The younger Trudeau has already stated he would not be in attendance for the funeral as the prime minister’s office has said “his schedule doesn’t permit it.”
Conservative leader hopeful Maxime Bernier urged the prime minister not to attend the funeral calling Castro “a brutal dictator who killed and imprisoned countless Cubans.”
Now with Fidel Castro gone, the Trudeau government will want to keep a good relationship with Raul Castro, Fidel’s younger brother, who leads the government.
Raul has promised to step down in 2018 which will signal a significant change for Cuba after nearly 50 years of power by the Castro family.
Justin Trudeau may even play a role in influencing Cuba to open up more trade opportunities with other countries and allow its people to emigrate to places they want.
