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In what many people throughout the world believed to be his last anticipated political move, Fidel Castro said he would not accept another term as Cuba’s president, thus effectively ending his 49 years as the leader of the last true socialist country.

I expect that the majority of Miami’s Latino population will be honking their horns in joy today, still upset that Castro seized their large farms and homes and redistributed them to the working class. It has always puzzled me how self-absorbed these gusanos have become. Come on, losing your precious mansion so 10,000 people can receive free education and healthcare is a noble act. If it were me, I would’ve framed my repossession letter. But in the end, greed and ambition always seem to win over the protection of humanity.

At least not in Cuba.

The island’s struggles over the years have been well documented. After enjoying modest social and cultural prosperity during the 60s and 70s Cuba began to feel the economic impact of the U.S embargo. While its citizens were enjoying some of the world’s best government sponsored services, the nation faced food shortages and gradually lost access to vital technology and products necessary to maintain the needs of a growing populace and infrastructure.

Following the downfall of the Soviet Union—Cuba’s major economic benefactor—Castro pleaded with his people for patience. He continued his mandate of preserving and upholding the health of the people even as their calorie intake dwindled to 1,800 a day. Castro sent militias of doctors and teachers throughout the world to help other nations struggling with poverty or natural disasters. In return for these acts of solidarity his nation would receive a little help form here, a little help from there. The ole “one hand washes the other”.

It is said that there have been nearly 600 assassination attempts on Castro’s life. The haters will always bask in simplistic analysis of Cuban politics, such as “They don’t have free elections…It’s not a democracy.” What would you do? Throughout the last four decades the world’s largest power has crippled your economy by forcing other nations to turn against you. There are constant efforts to infiltrate your ranks with bribes, deceit, and corruption, not to mention plots to brainwash the younger generation with the lure of money and vanity.

It’s like making sure no one comes into your household and messes with your kids. You stand up and fight for what you love, even if it means making tough decisions like prohibiting people from traveling without state consent. In an age where war rules over peace and profit wins over people, one has to make such sacrifices if one believes in those ideals. I mean think of the nation we live in. We’re free, right? Yet we willingly take the liberty and life of others around the world and at home in order to protect our economic interests, whether that’s an oil reserve or the new condo they’re building in your hood.

I’m sure the debate will continue for years to come as to what Castro’s legacy as a perennial world leader will be. But one thing we can never undermine. The man was indeed courageous. Would any of us have been able to pull off what he did and live to tell about it?

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