Was Fidel Castro A Hero

History will judge Fidel Castro as he is; a villain and a hero, a revolutionary as well as a dictator. He will be honored as the liberator and reformer of Cuba, and cursed as an eventual tyrant himself; his actions have warranted him a mixed legacy in the eyes of his people and of the world.
Castro began as the charismatic rebel and leader of the M-26-7, fighting against Batista’s cruel regime; a hero in the eyes of the Cubans. Leading a group of young radicals, Castro instituted an attack on the Moncado Barracks to draw national attention to their cause. Though the attack was a failure, it was the beginning of a long and bloody battle fought over Cuba. From 1956 to 1958, Fidel Castro united all of Batista’s opponents under one banner and
A great cause of animosity was how the new government treated dissenters of their government. Many of Batista’s former officials and supporters were imprisoned and executed without trial, and thousands of Cubans labeled ‘enemies of the revolution’ were tossed into jail. It angered many Cubans that these people had been subject to such inequality. However, this was merely the beginning of the government’s many controversial decisions. Many also objected when the government instituted strict regulations on the people. These rules dictated almost every aspect of the people’s daily lives, including food rations, religion, and occupation. Soon Castro’s government had banned strikes and elections, and censored many artists. All media, including theater, art, literature, music, and cinema, had to support the revolution, greatly limiting freedom of expression. Ironic that a party based on the ideas of Cuban nationalism and freedom would eventually restrain the population itself, isn’t it? Despite their emphasis on Cuba’s “right to control their own destiny”, Cuba under Castro was racked by multiple recessions and failed reforms, such as the “new man” reform created by Che Guevera. During the “Special Period”, Cuba’s peso failed and they were forced to rely on foreign currency. Tourism became a major industry, and Castro’s government treated the tourists much better than they did the Cubans. Cubans were not allowed to go to tourist areas and were told not to get involved with foreigners. The government, impoverished, let Cuban homes crumble, Cuban people go without food and other goods, all so that they could pay off their debt. People unable to survive on the government’s wages turned to crime in the black market to put food on the table, and regularly built boats to try to flee to other countries. Castro’s