Rally dedicated to Fidel Castro ends in Santiago de Cuba

A rally dedicated to Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has ended in Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second largest city, TASS reports.

Fidel Castro’s funeral procession earlier reached its final destination travelling more than one thousand kilometers from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, with Cubans lining the streets to see Castro’s ashes make their final journey.

Several hundred thousand residents of that city and other provinces in the east of the country came to Antonio Maceo Revolution Square to pay their last respects to Fidel. The event was led by Cuban President Raul Castro.

Well-known politicians, among them Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Bolivian leader Evo Morales and two former Brazilian Presidents - Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Russeff, as well as Argentine football legend, Diego Maradona, have arrived to pay homage to the legendary Cuban leader.

Those addressing the rally noted Fidel Castro’s huge contribution to the country’s development and efforts to protect its dignity, sovereignty and independence. 

General Jose Antonio Carillo Gomez said in his speech on behalf of the military that Cuban soldiers and officers will never renounce the legendary leader’s legacy. "Fidel’s example will be the banner of struggle and victory," he stressed.

President Raul Castro who was the last to address those present at the rally noted that the legendary comandante was opposed to the personality cult, so no streets will be named after him.

"The leader of the revolution rejected any manifestations of the personality cult and was consistent in this issue until the last hours of his life," he said. "He was opposed to using his name after his death in the names of institutions, squares, parks, avenues, streets or other public places and dedicating monuments, busts, statues or other such objects to him." Castro added that the appropriate legislative initiatives will be submitted to the National Assembly of People’s Power (parliament) during its upcoming sessions.

Fidel Castro passed away on November 25 aged 90. The Cuban government declared a nine-day national mourning following his death.