The former First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Fidel Castro died of natural causes at 22:29 (CST) in the evening of 25 November 2016.
The death of Fidel Castro, who led Cuba for nearly five decades, marked the end of one of the Cold War era's most prominent and divisive political figures.
Key Facts
- Date of death
- 25 November 2016 at 22:29 CST
- Age at death
- 90 years
- Cause of death
- Parkinson's disease, natural causes
- Announced by
- Brother Raúl Castro on state television
- Ashes interred
- Santiago de Cuba, 4 December 2016
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Fidel Castro had long suffered from declining health, including Parkinson's disease. He had stepped down from the presidency in 2008 due to illness, handing power to his brother Raúl, and remained largely out of public life in his final years.
Fidel Castro, former First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the Council of State, died of natural causes in his sleep at 22:29 CST on 25 November 2016, aged 90. His death was announced by Raúl Castro on Cuban state television.
Castro's body was cremated and his ashes were interred in Santiago de Cuba on 4 December 2016, attended by hundreds of thousands of mourners. His death prompted reactions across the world, with world leaders and commentators divided between praise and condemnation of his legacy.