Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro's ashes had been encased in a big granite boulder on Sunday in a ceremony that capped 9 days of public mourning and aimed to actually set in stone the legacy of one of many 20th century's most influential characters.
Reducing a solitary determine in his 4 star common's uniform, Cuban President Raul Castro positioned a cedar field containing his brother's cremated stays in a distinct segment within the rock on the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in southeastern Cuba.
A darkish plaque engraved with the phrase 'Fidel' was then mounted over the area of interest. Raul Castro saluted the rock, which was flanked by two honor guards in white uniform, and a 21-gun salute echoed out.
Fidel Castro toppled a US-backed strongman in a 1959 revolution and went on to construct a Communist state a brief distance from the Florida coast, surviving the collapse of the Soviet Union and relentless US efforts to pressure him out.
Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro's ashes had been encased in a big granite boulder (pictured) on Sunday in a ceremony that capped 9 days of public mourning and aimed to actually set in stone the legacy of one of many 20th century's most influential characters. Cuban President Raul Castro (left) receiving his brother's ashes in a cedar field
Cuban President Raul Castro (pictured) positioned the urn containing his brother's ashes contained in the tomb
Staff mounted the plaque with Castro's identify on his tomb on the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, the place his ashes had been buried Sunday
Raul Castro saluted the rock, which was flanked by two honor guards in white uniform, and a 21-gun salute echoed out
Cubans go to Castro's tomb on the Santa Ifigenia cemetery Sunda after his ashes had been buried alongside nationwide heroes within the cradle of his revolution
His monument on the cemetery within the metropolis of Santiago de Cuba sits a number of steps from the mausoleum of independence hero Jose Marti, one other towering determine of Cuban historical past with whom Castro shared a distrust of the US.
Castro's naturalistic memorial is dwarfed by Marti's mausoleum and different elaborate edifices on the cemetery.
The stone can be a number of steps from a monument to rebels who died in an assault on the Moncada army barracks in Santiago at the beginning of the revolution.
Since Castro's demise on November 25 at age 90, tons of of 1000's of Cubans have lined streets and plazas to bid farewell to 'El Comandante' (The Commander), with a mix of tears, vows to maintain socialism and choruses of 'I'm Fidel!'
Against this, the ceremony on Sunday was a non-public occasion and never broadcast on state media.
Just a few photographs and eyewitness accounts on state media described a small group of friends together with Castro's spouse Dalia Soto del Valle and Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona, who was a pal of the Cuban chief.
A clutch of left-wing allies had been additionally current, resembling Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who like Castro survived the Chilly Conflict.
His monument on the cemetery sits a number of steps from the mausoleum of independence hero Jose Marti, one other towering determine of Cuban historical past with whom Castro shared a distrust of the US
The stone can be a number of steps from a monument to rebels who died in an assault on the Moncada army barracks in Santiago at the beginning of the revolution
A Cuban lady laid flowers in entrance of the boulder after Castro's ashes had been buried on the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba on Sunday
1000's of individuals lined the brief route from the Plaza Antonio Maceo to the cemetery waving Cuban flags and shouting 'I'm Fidel!', on the final of 9 days of official mourning for the late chief
A lady sobbed after watching Castro's ashes go away the Antonio Maceo plaza for the Santa Ifigenia cemetery
Later, members of the general public had been allowed to put flowers on the memorial in small teams of ten.
'I wished to offer him one final goodbye, though he'll at all times be current in my coronary heart,' mentioned Angela Rodriguez, 62, one of many first folks allowed to view the boulder.
The ashes left the Plaza Of The Revolution within the jap metropolis of Santiago at 6.39am, greater than 20 minutes forward of their scheduled departure. 1000's of individuals lined the two-mile path to Santa Ifigenia cemetery, waving Cuban flags and shouting 'Lengthy dwell Fidel!'
The funeral caravan entered the cemetery at 7.12am. The Cuban army fired a 21-gun salute and crowds on the entrance to the ceremony sang the nationwide anthem, then stuffed the street to the cemetery the place the ashes had been being interred inside, out of the general public eye.
Martial music may very well be heard through the ceremony from exterior the cemetery, the place mourners gathered.
Mourner Ines de la Rosa mentioned she would have favored to look at the ceremony on tv, however 'we perceive how they as a household additionally want a little bit of privateness'.
A bunch wore T-shirts spelling out the identify of the late chief, however President Raul Castro introduced yesterday that Cuba would prohibit naming streets and monuments after his brother, in addition to statues of the revolutionary icon
A guard of honor remained in place while staff mounted the plaque on Castro's tomb after he was buried close to nationwide heroes
A person saluted to Castro's tomb within the cemetery of Santa Ifigenia in Santiago de Cuba after the ceremony
The general public (pictured watching the funeral cortege) could not go into the cemetery for the service, which was held privately
A lady wiped away tears whereas clutching a Cuban flag after seeing the cortege carry Castro's ashes to their resting place
Fellow mourner Elena Vinales says she wasn't shocked that the pictures of the ceremony weren't broadcast. 'It appears to be a household second,' she mentioned.
Cubans had been later allowed briefly contained in the cemetery the place Castro was interred to see his tomb. It's a easy spherical stone about 15 ft excessive with an emerald-colored plaque bearing his identify.
The tomb stands to the aspect of a memorial to the insurgent troopers killed in an assault that Castro led on Santiago's Moncada barracks on July 26, 1953, and in entrance of the mausoleum of Cuban nationwide hero Jose Marti.
Images taken by the Cuban nationwide press present President Raul Castro wearing an olive inexperienced uniform as he presides over the interment of his older brother Fidel.
The photographs had been seen by The Related Press after the Sunday morning ceremony within the jap metropolis of Santiago.
The photographs additionally present Fidel Castro's spouse and sons and presidents Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.
The choice to carry a non-public ceremony got here the morning after Castro's brother, President Raul Castro, introduced that Cuba will prohibit the naming of streets and monuments after the previous chief.
The nation may also bar the development of statues of the previous chief and revolutionary icon, in line with his want to keep away from a cult of persona.
Sunday's occasions ended greater than per week of nationwide mourning for Fidel Castro that reached near-religious peaks of adulation.
'The chief of the revolution rejected any manifestation of a cult of persona and was constant in that via the final hours of his life, insisting that, as soon as lifeless, his identify and likeness would by no means be used on establishments, streets, parks or different public websites, and that busts, statutes or different types of tribute would by no means be erected,' Raul informed a large crowd gathered in Santiago.
The choice to carry a non-public ceremony got here the morning after Castro's brother Raul introduced that Cuba will prohibit the naming of streets and monuments after the previous chief. His ashes are pictured Sunday on their solution to the cemetery
Mourning for Castro has been fervent and intense throughout the nation since his demise, significantly in rural jap Cuba. Supporters lined up all the way in which to the Santa Ifigenia cemetery and watched the motorcade go by
The ashes left the Plaza Of The Revolution within the jap metropolis of Santiago at 6:39 am, greater than 20 minutes forward of their scheduled departure. Castro's stays are pictured on their solution to the cemetery
A younger lady cried after watching the army jeep towing a trailer with the chest containing Castro's stays drive previous
Troopers smiled as they stood subsequent to the street after watching the motorcade carrying Castro's stays to the cemetery
Cuba's Nationwide Meeting, he mentioned, will vote in its subsequent session on the legislation fulfilling the needs of his brother, who died final week at 90.
The legislature typically holds a gathering in December and underneath Cuba's single-party system, parliament unanimously or near-unanimously approves each authorities proposal.
Fidel Castro, who stepped down in 2006 after falling unwell, saved his identify off public websites throughout his close to half-century in energy as a result of he mentioned he wished to keep away from the event of a persona cult.
The photographs of his fellow revolutionary fighters Camilo Cienfuegos and Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, nonetheless, turned widespread throughout Cuba within the many years since their deaths.
Mourning for Castro has been fervent and intense throughout the nation since his demise, significantly in rural jap Cuba, the place large crowds have been shouting Castro's identify and lining the roads to salute the funeral procession carrying his ashes.
'All of us want to put Fidel's identify on all the pieces however in the long run, Fidel is all of Cuba,' mentioned Juan Antonio Gonzalez, a 70-year-old retired economist. 'It was a call of Fidel's, not Raul's, and I believe he needs to be revered.'
Fidel Castro, who stepped down in 2006 after falling unwell, saved his identify off public websites throughout his close to half-century in energy as a result of he mentioned he wished to keep away from the event of a persona cult
Large crowds have been paying tribute to the late revolutionary (pictured in 1959 receiving an invite to the New York Press Photographer's Ball), shouting Castro's identify and lining the roads to salute the funeral procession carrying his ashes
Some awoke early to catch a glimpse of the funeral procession and are pictured resting on a sidewalk Sunday morning
Crowds lined up the streets of Santiago De Cuba earlier than the solar even rose on Sunday to look at his ashes go by in a motorcade
Individuals rested on a sidewalk whereas ready for the cortege carrying the ashes of the previous president to the cemetery
The cortege carrying Castro's ashes went via Santiago De Cuba whereas crowds line up the streets for a ultimate goodbye
A billboard of former President of Cuba Fidel Castro may very well be seen as folks lined the road forward of his non-public funeral on Sunday morning to look at a army jeep tow a trailer with the flag-draped chest containing his stays
Sunday marked the ultimate day of greater than per week of remembrance of Castro as 1000's gathered to bid him a ultimate farewell. However sooner or later, Cubans will forbid named tributes to the late chief, to keep away from a cult of persona
The group waved Cuban flags because the motorcade took Castro's ashes, which have traveled across the nation, to the cemetery
College students gathered on Sunday and held Cuban flags as they waited to see the motorcade transporting Castro's stays
Castro's ashes arrived to the cemetery after a tour via the nation throughout which 1000's paid tribute to the late chief
The previous president's ashes traveled from Havana to Santiago De Cuba this week, arriving the day earlier than the non-public funeral
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