History UsefulNotes / FidelCastro

* A playable leader in ''Videogame/{{Tropico}}''

Castro set up a Communist regime with himself as the GloriousLeader, transformed Cuba into a one party communist state and ruled the country as dictator until 2008, when he officially stepped down due to ill health. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Raúl.

* Castro appears in the second episode of ''TheCritic'' where he is initially depicted as kindhearted and grandfatherly, until Jay Sherman unknowingly insults him. When pointed out that he just insulted 'El Presidente' Castro replies: "Not to worry. I am not the gruff old bear people think I am." The show then [[CutawayGag cuts away to]] [[ShotAtDawn Jay standing in front of a firing squad with Castro yelling "Shoot to wound, men!"]]

Born in 1926 to a peasant and [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar conscript from Spain]] who became a sugar plantation owner in Cuba, Fidel Castro involved himself in revolutionary politics during his days as a law student in Havana. He participated in the attempt to overthrow the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1947, as well as the first, unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Fulgencio Batista, the American-backed dictator of Cuba. He then fled to Mexico, where he met UsefulNotes/CheGuevara and together they led an uprising against Batista, finally managing to topple him in 1959.

Born in 1926 to a sugar plantation owner, Fidel Castro involved himself in revolutionary politics during his days as a law student in Havana. He participated in the attempt to overthrow the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1947, as well as the first, unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Fulgencio Batista, the American-backed dictator of Cuba. He then fled to Mexico, where he met UsefulNotes/CheGuevara and together they led an uprising against Batista, finally managing to topple him in 1959.

The CIA tried in various ways to get rid of Castro, including multiple assassination attempts (including some rather odd methods like ''exploding cigars''), the UsefulNotes/BayOfPigsInvasion on 1961, and an economic embargo since 1962 (this is still in effect, though UsefulNotes/BarackObama has worked to lighten the restrictions--even allowing visitors to bring home 100 dollars worth of Cuban cigars). Castro was also excommunicated by [[ThePope Pope John XXIII]], but he didn't care. Castro was also a central figure in the CubanMissileCrisis and he was the one player in the incident most ready to launch the missiles if the Americans dared invade, only to be barely restrained by his Soviet partners.

Not as much is known about Castro's personal life, but one of Castro's biographers described the Cuban as being "fiercely hard-working, dedicated, loyal... generous and magnanimous" but also noted that he could be "vindictive and unforgiving" at times. He went on to note that Castro "always had a keen sense of humor and could laugh at himself" but could equally be "a bad loser" who would act with "ferocious rage if he thought that he was being humiliated." There have been claims he has been with around [[ReallyGetsAround ''30,000'']] women, with his secret police allegedly recruiting many of them.

* A segment of ''Film/TheGodfather Part II'' takes place in Cuba during his uprising against Batista. While he doesn't appear on-screen, he's a major concern for [[TheMafia the businessmen]] and ''los fidelianos'' hail his name after his victory.

Not as much is known about Castro's personal life, but one of Castro's biographers described the Cuban as being "fiercely hard-working, dedicated, loyal... generous and magnanimous" but also noted that he could be "vindictive and unforgiving" at times. He went on to note that Castro "always had a keen sense of humor and could laugh at himself" but could equally be "a bad loser" who would act with "ferocious rage if he thought that he was being humiliated."

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' he is about to give in and declare the defeat of Communism, but this is averted after he steals a trillion dollar bill from Mr. Burns.

* Castro appears in the second episode of ''TheCritic'' where is initially depicted as kindhearted and grandfatherly, until Jay Sherman unknowingly insults him. When pointed out that he just insulted 'El Presidente' Castro replies: "Not to worry. I am not the gruff old bear people think I am." The show then [[CutawayGag cuts away to]] [[ShotAtDawn Jay standing in front of a firing squad with Castro yelling "Shoot to wound, men!"]]

* He and Gueavara are mentioned in "Indian Girl" by Music/TheRollingStones from ''Music/EmotionalRescue'':

* ComicStrip/{{Nero}}: He has a cameo in ''Het Wonderwolkje'' where he orders to have Nero executed for claiming he ''is more famous than him''.

The CIA tried in various ways to get rid of Castro, including multiple assassination attempts (including some rather odd methods like ''exploding cigars''), the UsefulNotes/BayOfPigsInvasion on 1961, and an economic embargo since 1962 (this is still in effect, though BarackObama has worked to lighten the restrictions--even allowing visitors to bring home 100 dollars worth of Cuban cigars). Castro was also excommunicated by [[ThePope Pope John XXIII]], but he didn't care. Castro was also a central figure in the CubanMissileCrisis and he was the one player in the incident most ready to launch the missiles if the Americans dared invade, only to be barely restrained by his Soviet partners.

The CIA tried in various ways to get rid of Castro, including multiple assassination attempts (including some rather odd methods like ''exploding cigars''), the BayOfPigsInvasion on 1961, and an economic embargo since 1962 (this is still in effect, though BarackObama has worked to lighten the restrictions--even allowing visitors to bring home 100 dollars worth of Cuban cigars). Castro was also excommunicated by [[ThePope Pope John XXIII]], but he didn't care. Castro was also a central figure in the CubanMissileCrisis and he was the one player in the incident most ready to launch the missiles if the Americans dared invade, only to be barely restrained by his Soviet partners.

* Castro appears in the second episode of ''TheCritic'' where is initially depicted as kindhearted and grandfatherly, until Jay Sherman unknowingly insults him. When pointed out that he just insulted 'El Presidente' Castro replies: "Not to worry. I am not the gruff old bear people think I am." It then cuts away to Jay [[ShotAtDawn standing in front of a firing squad with Castro yelling "Shoot to wound, men!"]]

The CIA tried in various ways to get rid of Castro, including multiple assassination attempts (including some rather odd methods like ''exploding cigars''), the BayOfPigsInvasion on 1961, and an economic embargo since 1962 (this is still in effect). Castro was also excommunicated by [[ThePope Pope John XXIII]], but he didn't care. Castro was also a central figure in the CubanMissileCrisis and he was the one player in the incident most ready to launch the missiles if the Americans dared invade, only to be barely restrained by his Soviet partners.

* The first mission of ''Videogame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'' has you assassinate him during the Bay of Pigs invasion. [[spoiler:Turns out you got a double - the real Castro shows up at the end, handing the PlayerCharacter over to the Russians.]] He later appears in the ''Videogame/NaziZombies'' stage "Five", fighting zombies in the Pentagon alongside UsefulNotes/RichardNixon, UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy, and Robert McNamara. His appearance in ''Zombies'' is positively littered with GeniusBonus' and HistoricalInJoke's. Amusingly, he gets along pretty well with Nixon.

* The first mission of ''Videogame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'' has you assassinate him during the Bay of Pigs invasion. [[spoiler:Turns out you got a double - the real Castro shows up at the end, handing the PlayerCharacter over to the Russians.]] He later appears in the ''Videogame/NaziZombies'' stage "Five", fighting zombies in the Pentagon alongside UsefulNotes/RichardNixon, UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy, and Robert Mcnamara. His appearance in ''Zombies'' is positively littered with GeniusBonus' and HistoricalInJoke's. Amusingly, he gets along pretty well with Nixon.

Through the ColdWar, Cuba relied on Soviet support, and when that was cut off Cuba faced a major economic crisis (mostly due to a lack of oil). Still, Castro managed to overcome these difficulties through a rigorous re-structuring of the country's economy. Cuba is now a major tourist destination for non-Americans (Americans are forbidden to go to the island by the US government) and much of its economy is based around tourism.

* The first mission of ''Videogame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'' has you assassinate him during the Bay of Pigs invasion. [[spoiler:Turns out you got a double - the real Castro shows up at the end, handing the PlayerCharacter over to the Russians.]]

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!!Tropes related to Fidel Castro include:

* AffablyEvil: Gets this treatment sometimes, such as in ''TheSimpsons''.
* AmbiguousCloneEnding: This joke told by some Cubans: After several assassination attempts by the CIA, Castro decided to look for a body double to serve as a decoy, after several days of search they found the perfect candidate: An inmate from an insane asylum who, like Fidel, smoked cigars, walked with long strides, and constantly ranted against the American Imperialism, and refused to take baths, just like Fidel; So they took him out, tried (unsuccessfully) to bath him, dressed him in an olive green military suit, and presented him to Fidel, who was so impressed of his likeness he couldn't even tell who was the real one! So he took his double for a ride on a Soviet jeep, with such bad luck that they crashed. When their comrades arrived to the crash site the saw with horror that one of them had been killed!
* ArchEnemy: JohnFKennedy, for a while, but the United States of America in general.
** Ironically, his rapprochement with Kennedy shortly before the assassination has led to Castro looking back on Kennedy and his family as a "friend", and the best hope Cuba had for normalised relations with the U.S.
* BadassBeard
* BananaRepublic: Cuba before he took power.
* BetterTheDevilYouKnow: Most Cubans, even those opposed to him, feel uncertain about Cuba's future without him. He's simply ruled for so long that it's difficult to imagine anyone else taking over his role.
* BigBrotherIsWatching: Cuba became a PoliceState under his rule, with omnipresent surveillance by community-based [[OverlyLongName "Committees for the Defense of the Revolution"]].
* BrokenPedestal: He became this for many of his supporters who became disillusioned with the state of things in Cuba after more than 50 years of revolution. One famous example of this is the Mexican cartoonist {{Rius}}.
* CharacterFilibuster: During his heyday his speeches would go on for hours and hours, even reaching double digit lengths.
* CigarChomper: His love of cigars is so legendary that the CIA once tried to assassinate him with an ''[[ImprobableWeaponUser exploding cigar]]''.
* CommieLand: Cuba, obviously.
* CorruptPolitician: A popular image of him in the West. He was accused by Forbes of having a personal fortune of over $900 million dollars. No-one has actually managed to come up with concrete proof of this, though.
* CrapsackWorld: When he's not accused of turning Cuba into this, the US embargo is.
* CulturePolice: Has shown contempt of foreign influences on Cuban culture and the Party heavily censors most artists, filmmakers and musicians.
* DarkestHour: After [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the collapse of the Soviet Union]], Cuba lost its main international supporter and donor. There was speculation his regime might not survive, but it did thanks to the "Special Period" of austerity.
* {{Determinator}}: The guy deserves credit for at least one thing: he ''did'' rule Cuba for over four decades, surviving invasion, blockades, a decades long trade embargo with the US and hundreds of assassination attempts.
* DirtyCommunist: The American portrayal of him.
* DracoInLeatherPants: Along with UsefulNotes/CheGuevara. "He just needs to be understood".
* EverythingTryingToKillYou: Quite a reasonable assumption for him to make, considering the number of (often quite improbable) attempts on his life.
* EvilOldFolks: Usually gets this treatment in Western media.
* FireForgedFriends: With UsefulNotes/CheGuevara.
* FountainOfExpies: Chances are that any fictional Latin American communist dictator will be at least partly based on Fidel Castro.
* GeniusBruiser: A lawyer by profession before he became a revolutionary, and extremely well-read. He has also authored several books on global politics.
* GloriousLeader: One of the most famous examples.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Depending on your viewpoint.
* HotBlooded
* [[JustTheFirstCitizen Just The First Comrade]]: The Cuban state media cultivates this image of him in public.
* LaResistance: The Cuban revolutionaries before taking power.
* LargeHam: His speeches tended to be both long-winded and more than a little hammy, although few interviews have portrayed him as such personally.
* TheLastDJ: One of five remaining Communist leaders, who will very likely be dead soon.
** He isn't really the leader anymore - now that position belongs to his brother, Raul.
* MadeOfIron: Has survived ''over 638'' assassination attempts, mostly by the CIA, which has led to [[WhyWontYouDie plenty of incredulous reactions]].
* MotiveRant: Famous for his [[CharacterFilibuster four-hour speeches]] (in the blazing hot Cuban sun, no less). In his elder years, this was no mean feat.
** A literal example is [[VindicatedByHistory "History Will Absolve Me"]], the speech he made in his own defense in court against the charges brought against him after leading the attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1952.
* NiceHat: His green pillbox cap is sometimes called [[FanNickname "the Castro hat"]] and [[TheRedStapler has become something of a fashion statement]] in PunkRock culture.
* PetTheDog: Even his critics often acknowledge Cuba's healthcare system is very good, considering how poor the country is. The education system isn't half bad, either - though it's also rather [[BigBrotherIsWatching Orwellian]].
* PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny: Surprisingly averted for a Communist country; the official name of Cuba is simply ''República de Cuba'' (Republic of Cuba). It was always named that way since independence. Even the original flag was kept.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: The revolutionaries, at first.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Fond of giving them to the leaders of capitalist countries.
* RebelLeader
* RedOniBlueOni: [[HotBlooded Red]] to his brother Raúl's [[BoringButPractical Blue]].
* RedScare: Most Americans see this as quite justified.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: A frequent criticism of his regime, which was more brutal in its early days ([[OnceAcceptableTargets especially towards homosexuals]]). [[OldShame He has since apologized]] for his regime's treatment of LGBT people.
** It should be pointed out that during the revolution, Fidel Castro was not the only one who set policy - and many sources show him being a soft-touch and pragmatic, compared to a violent and judgemental Che Guevara. For example, Fidel Castro had a policy of sparing captured enemy soldiers, whereas Che would shoot captives on sight. Much of the post-revolution executions can be put down to the initiative of Guevara and Raul Castro, as opposed to Fidel.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Depending on your viewpoint.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: He played {{baseball}} in high school, and was good enough to be scouted by several teams including the Pittsburgh Pirates.
* WindbagPolitician: He was infamous for doing this, his longest speech on record in Cuba clocking up seven hours and 10 minutes at the 1986 Communist Party Congress. Four hours and 29 minutes is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly.
* WorthyOpponent: His opinion of JohnFKennedy.

Castro set up a Communist regime with himself as the GloriousLeader, transformed Cuba into a one party communist state and ruled the country as dictator until 2008, when he officially stepped down due to ill health. He was succeeded by his brother, Raul.

The CIA tried in various ways to get rid of Castro, including multiple assassination attempts, the BayOfPigsInvasion on 1961, and an economic embargo since 1962 (this is still in effect). Castro was also excommunicated by [[ThePope Pope John XXIII]], but he didn't care. Castro was also a central figure in the CubanMissileCrisis and he was the one player in the incident most ready to launch the missiles if the Americans dared invade, only to be barely restrained by his Soviet partners.