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Cuba Declares Nine Days of Mourning; New Generation of Leaders Set to Rule Cuba; World Leaders React to Fidel's Death; Putin Calls Castro a "Strong and Wise Man"; Former Cuban Leader's Complicated Ties to the Catholic Church; Singer Gloria Estefan Posts Powerful Message; Clinton Backs Vote Recount in Wisconsin; Cuban Dictator Cast Long Shadow over U.S. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired November 27, 2016 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world, 4:00 am on the U.S. East Coast, and one day after the death of Cuba's Fidel Castro. We are hearing a sharp mix of reactions.

I'm George Howell at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

Castro's funeral is set for December 4th and, leading up to it, the island nation has declared nine days of mourning as preparations are underway there for world leaders to visit Cuba to pay their respects.

But, again, this is a figure that people either admired or people despised. To the president of Venezuela, Castro was seen as an inspiration. Nicolas Maduro visited the burial site of Castro's one- time ally and the former leader of his country, Hugo Chavez. Maduro also declared three days of mourning in solidarity with Cuba.

A very different reaction, though, in the United States. Take a look at this, the scene in Miami, Florida, Calle Ocho there. Many in the exile community, the Cuban exile community, came together to celebrate in Little Havana, some even dancing in the streets, marking the death of Fidel Castro as a victory for change.

In Cuba itself, the mood is somber on the streets of Havana, many people there grieving Fidel Castro's death. CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more now on what's next in this report filed from the Cuban capital.

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PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cubans entered a nine-day period of national mourning following the death of Fidel Castro.

The news came suddenly on Friday night when Cuban president Raul Castro took to the airwaves to announce that his older brother, former Cuban president Fidel Castro had died. Even though Fidel Castro had been in ill health for over a decade and

rumors abounded of his death, it was still a shock for many Cubans that I spoke to. They seemed stunned. They were uncertain about the future.

And already we've seen a massive beefing up of security on the island, military taking to the streets, distance (ph) reporting a spike in arrests.

What happens now?

During this nine-day period of national mourning. First, Fidel Castro, we're told, is going to be cremated; that has already happened. And then early next week his ashes will be placed in the center of power in Havana, Havana's Revolution Square.

That is where he gave some of his most iconic speeches over the years, where hundreds of thousands of people attended. During these days, though, Cubans, we expect, will file past his coffin, his ashes, to pay respect to the former Cuban leader.

From there, his ashes will be transported down the island about 700 miles from where I am now, to Cuba's second largest city, Santiago, Cuba, and on that journey certainly we expect many Cubans to pack the roadways to see off this man who is either beloved by some as a revolutionary hero or hated by others as a dictator.

But just about every Cuban has a very strong opinion about Fidel Castro. In Santiago, Cuba, he will be laid to rest. This is the region where he hailed from. And we certainly expect many heads of state to attend that funeral.

The Cuban government is making furious preparations to have everything ready. They know this is going to be a worldwide event. And, of course, even though Fidel Castro will be laid to rest, the controversy over his legacy, over his impact on the island, will continue.

Quite simply he is a man who forever changed Cuba and Cubans -- Patrick Oppmann reporting from Havana, Cuba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Patrick Oppmann, the only U.S.-based correspondent in Cuba, Patrick, thank you for that report.

Now for more reaction. Now from Miami, many residents there, Cubans there living in exile, they see Castro's death as closure.

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HOWELL (voice-over): We showed you the aerials. Now you see right there on the ground, where hundreds of people came together. They met on Calle Ocho in Miami's Little Havana district, many people screaming with joy, banging pots and pans, celebrating Fidel Castro's death. CNN's Boris Sanchez has more.

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The parties are just getting started here in Little Havana. We're in Calle Ocho, outside Cafe Versailles. This is the epicenter of the Cuban-American exile community here in Miami. And there are literally hundreds of people celebrating the death of Fidel Castro.

There's music playing, people banging pots and pans, hundreds of flags and lots of chanting.

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SANCHEZ: One of the chants that we've heard over and over again is "Fidel, you tyrant, take your brother with you."

It's very kind of dark to think that people are celebrating someone's death, but people that I have spoken here say this has been something that they have been waiting for, for a very long time. They perceived Fidel as someone who is incredibly repressive and someone who essentially stole their homeland away.

You have to remember, Fidel Castro was in power in Cuba since 1959. So, these are very different generations of people, young and old, that have come out to show their joy and their hope that this could mean a new chapter for the island of Cuba.

One gentleman said that his mother died two years ago. One of his hopes was that she could be here to live to enjoy this moment. It's a very emotional moment and sad for him but he still is joyous -- Boris Sanchez, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Thank you for that report. Now on to Spain. More reaction there for some Cubans living in that nation. The reaction to learning of Castro's death was a mix of sadness and shock.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I felt a pain, a pain that cannot be explained with words. I couldn't fight the tears because of such strong emotion. A great leader has died, the one who has taught us, educated, given us freedom, health and convictions.

These are very important things that a human should never lose. That change will occur when the blockade is lifted from Cuba. That is what has freed us, it is not the system of revolution, it is the political economic blockade for which we have been subject to for more than half a century.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am here for the sad and unfortunate news of the death of commander in chief Fidel Castro. A lot of pain, a lot of sadness and will to keep going.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does not sadden me. As president, 90 percent of the population never liked him for everything he did and has divided so many families; 80 percent of the Cuban population that has had to immigrate and look for life because of the politics, politics that force you to leave Cuba.

In Cuba you're a professional and you don't have the possibility of practicing as a professional. Changes, I can tell you from now on that there won't be any. With his brother as president, politics will remain the same.

There is oppression, zero freedom of expression and those who think that the death of Fidel something will change like an illusion, it doesn't exist. As long as the Castro family has the power, the change will never be favorable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: From Spain to the United States to Venezuela and in Cuba itself, quite a mix of reaction. Let's talk more about the reactions and the implications of Fidel Castro's death, bringing in Joel Ross, a Latin American analyst at the risk management firm of Verisk Maplecroft.

Let's talk, first of all, about what we heard. I don't know if you heard some of the reactions from many people around the world. Look, this is a person who you either loved him or hated him. You look at the president of Venezuela, who describes him as a visionary. They say he cannot be forgiven for his human rights abuses.

What are your thoughts?

JOEL ROSS, VERISK MAPLECROFT: Absolutely. He was a controversial figure throughout his career. He led a revolution and in order to lead a revolution you have to enforce major change. For some people that meant that that was going to rub them the wrong way definitely.

And for others that meant that he was leading something that had never happened before and may never happen again. In general his legacy will be mixed. He has universal health care, education. He absolutely suppressed human rights.

HOWELL: We always say history would absolve him but many, many people weighing in on this divisive leader. Let's also talk about his brother, Raul Castro, Cuba's leader, no longer --

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HOWELL: -- in the shadow of Fidel Castro and also in the process of planning his own succession.

Do you expect to see, Joel, a status quo from the nation's leadership opposed to Fidel Castro or more of an aggressive shift to either the right or left?

ROSS: Well, it's important to say that Fidel Castro has been out of politics more or less for the last 10 years. Yes, he has been a figure, he has been perhaps an ideological guide, he's still been alive, for sure. But Raul has been in charge for many years and he's recognized the

need to open up the economic model slightly. He knows that the economic model was unsustainable and really was only propped up by --

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HOWELL: But, Joel -- and pardon me for interjecting. I just want to ask you because even though Raul Castro has been in charge, he has been in the shadow of his brother. His brother has been active, has written his displeasure for the improved relations with the United States, has made sure that he's had some sort of a guiding hand on this nation.

ROSS: Yes. But it's also important to recognize the changes that have been brought about since Raul came to power, that recognizes and that reflects the fact that he's the man in charge. He has allowed some reforms to be enacted that Fidel would never have been OK with.

I think the fact that (INAUDIBLE) happened whilst in December 2014, whilst Raul was the leader reflects the fact that he is the man in charge. Absolutely I agree, now that Fidel is gone, there may be a boldening, a quickening of the economic reforms, Raul may feel that perhaps whilst his brother was still around, he didn't feel able to increase the pace of economic reform as quickly as he would have liked.

Maybe that will be a louder voice within the politburo, the group that rules Cuba, a louder voice from the side of the reformers that modernizes to allow more economic progress. So perhaps that will be the slight shift now that Fidel's gone. But my point remains that Raul has been in charge and you can see that over the last 10 years.

HOWELL: Joel Ross, giving us some context and background, live from London.

Joel, we appreciate you being with us. We'll stay in touch. I'm sure we will have a lot more to talk about here in the days, weeks and months to come.

ROSS: Absolutely. Thank you very much.

HOWELL: One of the Cubans mourning the death of Fidel Castro is Elian Gonzalez.

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HOWELL (voice-over): As a young boy in 2000, he became the focus of an international custody battle.

Remember this image?

His mother fled with the boy to the United States but she died when their boat capsized. Elian was recovered and taken to live with a family in Miami. But his father in Cuba wanted him back.

U.S. federal agents eventually seized him at gunpoint and he was returned to Cuba. Now in his early 20s, Gonzalez has become a Castro supporter. He said this about the leader's death.

ELIAN GONZALEZ, CUBAN CITIZEN (through translator): He is a father, who, like my father, I wanted to show him everything I achieved, that he would be proud of me. That's how it was with Fidel. If I learned something and wanted to show him -- and there are still many things I want to show him.

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HOWELL: Just as Joel Ross played out just a moment ago, Fidel Castro made many enemies over his time in power. He became a bitter adversary of the United States and he survived numerous assassination attempts, outliving most of his opponents. Our Rafael Romo has this look at the former leader's final years.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice-over): Fidel Castro knew his days were dwindling telling Cuban communists before his 90th birthday this year, "Soon I will be like everyone else." After a near fatal illness in 2008, Castro turned the reins of power to his younger brother, Raul.

As Cuba's new president began taking tentative steps towards reform, the U.S. began to ease its restrictions. But Fidel Castro was suspicious writing in January 2015 that although he does not trust U.S. policies and have not exchanged a word with them, this does not mean however that I will would oppose a peaceful solution to conflicts or threats of war."

In September of last year, Fidel met with Pope Francis and they talked about common problems of humanity that the pope had once condemned what he called Cuba's authoritarian and corrupt regime. In March this year, American President Barack Obama visited Cuba seven months after the two countries reestablished diplomatic relations. He met with Raul Castro but not Fidel.

At his 90th birthday party in August this year, a frail Fidel Castro appeared a theater named for Carl Marx and was shown in occasional photos with foreign leaders.

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ROMO (voice-over): Fidel Castro came to power as a revolutionary inspired by Marx, but as he died, Castro was watching his revolution change in a way that was beyond his control -- Rafael Romo, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, there is sadness and celebration over Castro's death. Ahead, reaction from some lawmakers and leaders in the United States, including the president-elect.

Plus, Pope Francis is expressing sorrow over the death of Fidel Castro, despite the former leader's once rocky relationship with the Catholic church. Stay with us. (MUSIC PLAYING)

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HOWELL: Welcome back. We are following the political reactions to the death of Fidel Castro. Here in the United States, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, struck a neutral tone. Here's part of his statement.

"At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans in Cuba --

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HOWELL: "-- and in the United States with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families and of the Cuban nation."

Much more terse response, though, coming from the U.S. president- elect, Donald Trump, who has openly opposed restoring ties with Cuba. On Saturday, Mr. Trump called Castro a, quote, "brutal dictator," saying that while Cuba remains a totalitarian island, "it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve."

U.S. Republican senator Ted Cruz, who has also said that he has ties to Cuba.

He said this, "Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims nor can it bring comfort to their families. Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba."

The political response from Russia, though, in stark contrast to that from what we heard in the United States, the Russian president says that Castro was, quote, "a strong and wise man." Vladimir Putin also saying that Castro will, quote, "live forever in the hearts of Russian citizens."

CNN contributor Jill Dougherty has more now from Moscow.

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JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From Russian president Vladimir Putin to average Russians, there was a lot of nostalgia for Fidel Castro, an ally for more than half a century. President Putin called him "a symbol of an era and a sincere and reliable friend of Russia." Here in Moscow over at the Cuban embassy, Russians went by, laying

flowers and candles in memory of Fidel Castro, some of them even crying, saying that they remember him from their childhood. They remembered him as an old revolutionary, who stuck to his guns and also as a leader of a small island that stood up to the big United States.

Russian TV, meanwhile, had nonstop coverage all day, showing old black-and-white footage of the relationship, showing video of Fidel Castro as a revolutionary up in the mountains, showing him with a variety of Russian leaders and also very interesting footage of the Cuban missile crisis.

Even there was an implied comparison between Fidel Castro and President Vladimir Putin, one Russian politician saying that sanctions didn't work and also international isolation didn't work when you have a strong leader -- Jill Daugherty, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Jill, thank you.

Fidel Castro found allies in countries across Central and South America and now some Latin American leaders are also mourning his death. CNN's Shasta Darlington has more now from Rio de Janeiro.

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SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Condolences are pouring in from across Latin America, a region where Fidel Castro was considered an idol by many, especially during the darkest years, when military dictatorships seized power in many South American countries, civil wars raged across Central America.

Fidel Castro was the prototype of a rebel leader, fighting from the jungle for something he believed in and, of course, he won. He went on to become the prototype of a populist president, railing against the regional superpower.

And even after Cuba lost its main ally, the USSR collapsed, Fidel Castro managed to reinvent himself as the godfather of a new generation of leftist leaders in Latin America, from Hugo Chavez in Venezuela to Evo Morales in Bolivia and Rafael Correa in Ecuador.

During my seven years living in Cuba, covering in Cuba, there was a constant stream of presidents and leaders from across Latin America, across the political spectrum, really, paying their respects to a man they admired. even after he was no longer the president.

And that's because Fidel Castro had stood up to the United States for decades and this is important in a region that bristled at being considered America's backyard.

That's why we're seeing all of these messages today, from the "Viva Cuba" from Evo Morales in Bolivia, to here in Brazil, the center right president, Michel Temer, calling Fidel Castro "a man of convictions."

And of course, in Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro declaring that, "Now it's our turn. We'll keep the revolution alive."

Of course, that's a bigger challenge, as Latin America shifts further to the right and away from Fidel Castro's legacy -- Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Shasta, thank you.

When it comes to Cuba and the Catholic Church, Fidel Castro saw the church as an enemy --

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HOWELL: -- during the early days of his rule. A breakthrough, though, came when Pope John Paul II met with Castro and relations thawed even more last year when Pope Francis visited the island nation. Our Ben Wedeman has more now on the Vatican's reaction to Fidel Castro's death.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis has sent a telegram of condolences to Raul Castro on the death of his brother, Fidel. Now, Fidel Castro had a complicated relationship with the Catholic Church.

In 1961 when Cuba declared itself a socialist country, it shut down the catholic university there, closed 350 catholic schools and expropriated hundreds of catholic churches. Nonetheless as time passed and as for instance the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba was definitely in need of friends.

In 1996, Fidel Castro visited Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. And two years later Pope John Paul went Cuba on a historic visit. And of course it was Pope Francis who behind the scenes played a key role in re-establishing relations between the United States and Cuba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Ben Wedeman reporting there for us. Again, this is a figure that people either loved or hated. Castro's death, though, being celebrated by many like the people you see here on the streets of Miami in Calle Ocho. But for some Castro opponents, his demise is bittersweet. We'll have more on that still ahead.

Plus the Cuban-born singer Gloria Estefan's emotional reaction as she learned of Fidel Castro's death. Stay with us.

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HOWELL (voice-over): Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. It is good to have you with us. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

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HOWELL: More now on the death of Fidel Castro, casting a large shadow over Cuba and over the world. And the reaction to his passing has been sharply divided. In Havana, things are quiet as the nation begins a nine-day period of mourning.

In the meantime, a very different scene in Miami, Florida. Cuban exiles there came together to celebrate new hope, hope for change in their home country.

But one of the biggest recent changes, the re-opening of diplomatic ties with the United States, could be in jeopardy under a new Donald Trump administration.

Earlier my colleagues, Cyril Vanier and Rafael Romo, talked about what to expect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SR. LATIN AFFAIRS EDITOR: The greatest thing about an executive order is that it doesn't -- it only takes one person to do that.

The worst thing about an executive order is that the next guy in turn, the next president -- in this case, President-Elect Donald Trump -- can by himself decide to do away with a lot of the executive orders that President Obama has put in place.

In this case, we're talking about this period of easement of relations between Cuba and the United States. Let's remember that a lot of Cuban exiles in Miami and elsewhere in the United States were not very happy about the fact that President Obama, on his own, without taking Congress into consideration, decided to go into Cuba.

We opened the embassy and re-established relations with the island. And so my expectation is that as soon as President-Elect Trump gets to the White House, he's going to do away with all of that. It's just going to be a matter of time.

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HOWELL: Rafael Romo there.

Castro's enemies often accused him of violating human rights. That is one of the reasons why many people turned out in the streets of Miami to celebrate his death.

At the same time, some Castro opponents are more somber, mourning loved ones who didn't live to see his demise.

CNN political commentator Ana Navarro is a former ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Commission and has been a strong critic of the Cuban government. She spoke earlier with CNN's Pamela Brown about why so many Castro enemies have mixed emotions over his death.

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ANA NAVARRO, CNN COMMENTATOR: Bittersweet because -- it's sweet because, on the one hand, it is the day that this cruel despot who ruled Cuba with an oppressive regime has come to his death.

Fifty-seven years without democracy in that country, 57 years of firing squads; the political prisoners, of going after, attacking, beating political dissidents; of people taking to inner tubes and rafts in order to flee that regime -- 57 years. Think of that.

And it's bitter because there's so many people who have died waiting to see this day. It -- you know, it reminded me of all my friends who have died without being able to set foot in a Cuba without a Fidel Castro, who wish they could have seen this day.

I drove down 8th Street today in Miami and I passed a cemetery. And I saw many people going in and putting little Cuban flags on the tombstones of their parents, of their loved ones, because it is something that anybody who's lived in Miami, anybody who's been part of the Cuban American community, understands the pain, the suffering that this community and the people of Cuba have suffered for so very long.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: It is deeply personal for so many, many people. Cuban-born singer Gloria Estefan --

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HOWELL: -- fled the country (INAUDIBLE) when Castro came to power there. She was just a toddler at the time. Estefan shared an emotional response online to Castro's death, next to a photo of what appears to be Cuban exiles on a raft.

The singer said that she is celebrating the, quote, "symbolic death of the destructive ideologies that Castro espoused."

And she said, "Although the grip of his regime will not loosen overnight," she thinks positive change is ahead for Cuban people.

Some of the strongest reactions against Fidel Castro were his critics. Castro was a ruthless dictator but to be fair, many others are mourning his death. For his fans, the former Cuban leader was a hero. CNN's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, has more now from London.

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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN HOST: Fidel Castro was revered and reviled around the world depending on what part of the world you came from.

In the communist spheres specifically during the cold war, he was a revolutionary hero that many, many sort of liberation movements took as their hero to cast the shackles of imperialism off and colonialism. That's for this part of the world.

And of course, in Latin America many right wing oligarchies and dictatorships were then turned over. They became left wing, some of them quasi democracies, some of them dictatorships, which took Fidel Castro as their godfather.

And still exist today for instance in Venezuela and elsewhere, but a lot of those are now beginning to go out of power. So the whole sort of balance of power that Fidel Castro represented is sort of been crumbling over the last several decades, that's for sure.

The Vatican has expressed condolences, you know, Pope Francis himself was one of the mediators, one of the go-betweens between Havana and the United States for the (inaudible) that President Obama instituted two years ago now.

And even Havana was the place where the Colombia rebels, the FARC rebels and the government of (inaudible) came together to negotiate the end of that 52-year war. So, you know, they've played some quite important roles, Havana in recent times.

But of course, you know, if you go back to the Cuban missile crisis, go back to the Bay of Pigs, all these exceptionally difficult and dangerous confrontations between this communist island and the United States just 90 miles away.

And Cuba obviously wants to see a lifting of the embargo, even despite diplomatic relations, that won't happen without an act of the U.S. Congress. But many people have been reporting on Cuba say that with the death of Fidel, of the old ideologue of this movement, the sort owner of the revolutionary era, with his death it may make it much quicker and much faster to institute reforms.

Even in March when President Obama went for a visit there, even then Castro, Fidel Castro, even though he wasn't president he insisted on being hauled out to preside over their party congress and he was very hard lined, no to reform, no to what the empire has to tell us, talking about the United States.

Whereas his brother, Raul, is much more apparently willing to establish reform. So this will be really interesting to see if now release from his older brother's shadow, Raul can enact more freedoms and more democratic and economic reforms in a faster pace.

So we're all going to be watching because obviously this week is going to be all revolutionary. We've already heard all the media is going to be about patriotism and history and the whole revolutionary reality being shown again. But afterwards, after the mourning, where is Cuba going to go next? -- Christiane Amanpour, CNN in London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Christiane, thank you.

Still ahead here on NEWSROOM, a British football club launches an investigation into child sex abuse allegations after former players go public with claims against a youth team coach. Stay with us.

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HOWELL: In U.S. politics, Hillary Clinton's campaign said it will participate in a recount of presidential votes in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. A campaign spokesperson said an internal investigation has found no evidence of tampering or hacking.

But the campaign decided to back the recount to, quote, "ensure that it is fair to all sides." Wisconsin, as you'll remember, is one of three states where the Green Party is trying to get recounts. The other two are Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Even if recounts are done in all three states, the outcome of the election is not expected to change. That prompted U.S. President- Elect Donald Trump to dismiss the recount effort as a fundraising scam.

Mr. Trump sent out this tweet after the Clinton campaign decided to back the recount in Wisconsin, saying the following, "The Green Party scam to fill their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated and demoralized Dems" -- the Democrats.

Green Party candidate Jill Stein dismissed Trump's criticism, telling CNN that all money raised is going into a fund for the recount.

Now moving on to France. That nation's Conservative Party is about to choose its presidential candidate. A second round of voting in the party's primary began just a few hours ago.

Two former prime ministers are in the running, Conservative Francois Fillon and moderate Alain Juppe. Fillon is the front-runner; after the first round of voting, he received 44 percent last Sunday compared to Juppe's 28 percent. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy cast his vote. He came in third in the first round of the primary voting last week and has asked his supporters to back Fillon.

British football club Crew Alexandra (ph) is launching an independent investigation into child sex abuse allegations. Several former players came forward with claims against former coach Barry Bennel (ph) who has previously spent time in jail for sex offenses. A hotline was set up Thursday to encourage people to speak out about abuse within the game. It received more than 50 calls in just the first few hours.

Switching now to weather. Unusual rain causing flooding in some parts of Qatar. Our meteorologist Derek Van Dam is here.

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[04:45:00] HOWELL: Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, Fidel Castro was a thorn in the side of every U.S. president since 1959. We look back at his long and controversial decades in power. Stay with us.

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HOWELL: Welcome back. Fidel Castro created some serious problems for the United States soon after he took control of Cuba in 1959. For the leader of such a small country, he cast a very large shadow over the United States and foreign policy. CNN's Martin Savidge looks back at his controversial legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Depending on whom you talk to, Fidel Castro was a revered revolutionary legend or a despised tyrannical dictator. There is little middle ground.

Castro came to power in 1959 in a widely popular revolution overthrowing Cuba's then-dictator Fulgencio Batista. The new government quickly gained the recognition of the United States but it wasn't long before the bearded rebel's leftist ideology put him on a collision course with America.

Especially when he allied himself with the Soviet Union, seeing a new threat just 90 miles offshore, the U.S. decided to act.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have directed the armed forces to...

SAVIDGE (voice-over): First launching a trade embargo, followed by the failed CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion and several assassination attempts on Castro, all this while the Cuban leader allowed the Soviet Union to secondly build nuclear missile bases on the island.

When they were discovered by the U.S. in 1962, the so-called Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. As Castro turned more and more to Socialism, thousands of his well-to-do Cubans fled the country.

The millions left behind became part of his new social experiment, a one-party Communist state, led by one man -- himself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): He imposed the idea that those who didn't like it could leave. He divided families.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Many saw positives, education and health care for all, racial integration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What Fidel achieved in the social order of this country has not been achieved by any poor nation and even by many rich countries, despite being submitted to enormous pressures.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): But critics say it came at a terrible cost.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The dreams of freedom that had given the Cuban people were turned into the nightmare we live today because we have a totalitarian regime in which all basic liberties have been abolished.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): What Castro never managed to achieve was economic prosperity, even with years of subsidies from the Soviet Union. For that, Castro always blamed the United States and its embargo but many blame the man himself, pointing to his unwavering belief in an outdated and inefficient Socialist model.

Castro had little tolerance for dissent. Opponents were often dismissed as traitors, imprisoned or exiled. As more and more dissidents ended up under arrest, Castro became the target of international condemnation. But like so many times before, Castro never backed down, proudly defending his record on human rights.

FIDEL CASTRO, CUBAN LEADER (through translator): There hasn't been a single case of death squads here. Never has a person disappeared in Cuba, which has been common practice all over Latin America. So we feel proud of our clean record with relation to this problem.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Call it pride or selective reasoning but Castro never lost faith in the revolution. Opponents concede Castro's popularity diminished as his beard grew whiter. But his intelligence and shrewdness continued to command fear and respect.

He would eventually outlive many of his critics and outlast 10 U.S. administrations.

[04:55:00]

SAVIDGE (voice-over): In the end, it was illness, not Washington, that forced him to retire, passing Cuba's leadership to his younger brother, Raul.

In his last years, Castro appeared only occasionally, mostly in photos, looking frail. At times he tried to play the role of elder statesman but more and more he seemed inconsequential.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The Cuban government has been very agile. It has slowly removed him from the scene. It would have been one thing if he had abruptly died back on July 31st, 2006. Instead, his image and importance have slowly faded.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Castro always insisted death was not something he feared.

FIDEL CASTRO (through translator): I have never been afraid of death and I have never been concerned about death. I have learned not to feel attached to positions and not to be attached to that which is called power.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): That latter statement seems ironic, coming from a man who almost single-handedly dictated over Cuba for nearly half a century.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was CNN's Martin Savidge reporting for us.

We thank you for being with us this hour. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'll be back after the break with more news from around the world. Stay with us.

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