25 NOVEMBER 1956 – Fidel Castro, along with 81 other revolutionaries, among whom were Che Guevara and Raul Castro, sets sail on the Granma from the Mexican port of Tuxpan for Cuba, to start an armed struggle for liberation.

25 November 2016, exactly sixty years later, Fidel Castro sets sail alone, leaving behind multitudes who claim, 'Yo Soy Fidel or I am Fidel'. Entire Cuba reverberated with this slogan, with many from all around the world joining the chorus. What does it take to be Fidel?

To be Fidel means, first and foremost to sincerely believe and practice the Marti dictum: “all the world's glory fits in a kernel of corn”. Power is like a drug and we see even with a little power, how people get all 'puffed up' and 'showing off' at every opportunity. Fidel Castro, who led the victorious Cuban revolution and was heading the Cuban State for nearly fifty years, never let power intoxicate him. He was an epitome of humility, who was never afraid of openly accepting his mistakes.

Cuban State had announced a target for harvesting ten million tonnes of sugar for the entire country in 1970. But due to various factors, the target could not be achieved, which the government publicly accepted. Fidel, in his speech given on 26 July, acknowledged his responsibility in the failure to achieve the target. It is very rare to find a head of the State personally own up the mistakes or for the government to accept that the targets set were not achieved.

In being open with mistakes and taking necessary corrective measures, Fidel was true to Lenin, who said: “By analysing the errors of yesterday, we learn to avoid errors today and tomorrow” and “The fighting party of the advanced class need not fear mistakes. What it should fear is persistence in a mistake, refusal to admit and correct a mistake out of a false sense of shame”.

To be Fidel means, to believe in people. Fidel was always truthful to people. He often used to say that as long as one does not conceal anything from people and takes them into confidence, one need not be afraid of anything. It is this conviction that gave him the courage to publicly accept the mistakes that were committed in the construction of socialism in Cuba and take corrective measures.

An observation of Fidel's life shows us that at every crucial juncture in socialist Cuban history, the people of Cuba were taken into confidence and were involved in the decision making process. The programme adopted by the Cuban State after the victory of the revolution in 1959 was shaped in consultation with the people. The socialist character of the revolution was declared by Fidel in 1961 in a huge rally held in Havana. The socialist constitution of the country was adopted in 1976 through a referendum. Even in 2002, when the constitution was amended to include socialism as an irrevocable characteristic of the Cuban State, it was done after nearly eight million Cubans had signed the petition for this change. Significantly this was in response to the threat issued by the then US president George W Bush who wanted a change in the 'socio-economic, political system in Cuba'.

Above all, during the Special Period in Cuba, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and at a time when the country was facing innumerable economic difficulties, there were reports that a section of the youth were throwing stones, angry about the situation. Fidel Castro in his indomitable style, went alone to face the protestors and started talking to them. Hearing him speak to them in person, the crowd was not only pacified, but returned home shouting slogans in defence of revolution and Fidel. Such was the enormous confidence Fidel had on his people. It is because of this confidence that Fidel had once challenged George Bush to come to Cuba and speak with the people and convince them about the merits of capitalist system. He promised to change the social system if Bush was able to convince the people. No wonder that Bush refused to take the bait!

Whatever changes were to be made in the construction of socialism in Cuba are done involving people. For example, the Communist Party led by Fidel, undertook a huge exercise when they had embarked on a course to decide on the future course of economic policy. 8,913,838 people were consulted in more than 163,000 meetings, in which over three million people offered their contributions, which were ultimately discussed for consideration. This is yet another example of socialist democracy that Fidel strove to build in Cuba with his immense faith in people.

To be Fidel means, to be a humanitarian. Fidel always emphasised on the humanitarian character of the revolution. He wanted a decent life for everyone and believed in Marxism-Leninism as the only theory that can guarantee that to every human being. It is for this reason that immediately after the triumph of the revolution, the government enacted the Agrarian Reform Act and then proceeded to nationalise all multinational companies that were fleecing people and refused to adhere to the directions of the revolutionary government. The emphasis given to ensure quality education and healthcare to all the people of Cuba free of cost, also is developed from this conviction.

All the international missions undertaken by Cuba – in Algeria and Angola – in defence of the independence of those countries or in various countries of Latin America to eliminate illiteracy and for providing quality healthcare to those people, were examples of supreme humanitarian concerns. Fidel had famously said that while the US is sending its soldiers all over the world, Cuba is sending doctors and this is the difference between a capitalist State and a socialist State.

To be Fidel means, to be brave and never give up hope. Fidel Castro was once asked by a group of reporters whether he always wore a bullet proof vest. As an answer to this question, Fidel immediately removed his shirt buttons and showed them his chest and stated that he doesn't need to wear a bullet proof vest to protect himself. What he has is, 'a moral vest' that shields him from all the attacks to eliminate him.

Fidel not only led the attack on Moncada garrison and the revolutionary armies against the oppressive Batista regime. Even after the triumph of the revolution and he became the head of the government, when the Bay of Pigs invasion had taken place, he rushed to the front and led the operations in person. It is these qualities of his personal participation and leading  from the front that had endeared him to the people.

Fidel always had a 'never-say-die' attitude. This was on display when most of his compatriots were lost and he was left with only eighteen people in the Sierra Maestra, after landing from  the Granma yacht. Another example of this attitude can be seen after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Fidel, who had understood the revisionist and liquidationist character of Gorbachev's 'perestroika', had declared in 1989 itself that even if the Soviet Union should disappear one day, the Cuban Revolution will go on. It is his firm conviction in Marxism-Leninism and scientific socialism that had given him this courage. It is because of this courage and determination he had guided the country through the Special Period, encouraged and supported the progressive movements in Latin America and other parts of the world. The slogan 'patria o muerte' or 'fatherland or death' is a reflection of this attitude and confidence.

Thus, in a nutshell, to be Fidel means, to be a revolutionary. A true tribute to Fidel Castro is for us to try to imbibe at least some of these traits of his. The time has come for us to say: 'Fidel Castro – Presente'! And sing this beautiful song written by Che on Fidel:

Let's go,

passionate prophet of dawn,

along unexplored wireless paths

to set free the green alligator you so love.

Let's go,

defeating insults with our fronts

full of Marti’s rebel stars,

let’s swear to achieve victory or meet with death.

When the first shot sounds and wakes

with virginal wonder the entire countryside,

we will be there, beside you,

serene combatants.

When your voice shouts from the rooftops,

agrarian reform, justice, bread, freedom,

we will be there, beside you,

with identical accents.

And when we reach the end

of the sanitary operation against the tyrant,

we will be there, beside you,

awaiting the final battle.

The day the beast licks its wounded flank

where the nationalizing dart strikes it,

we will be there, beside you,

with a proud heart.

Don’t ever think they can diminish our integrity

those decorated fleas armed with gifts;

We asked for a rifle, bullets and a group.

Nothing more.

And if iron stands in our way
we ask for a shroud of Cuban tears
to cover the guerrilla remains
on the journey to American history.
Nothing more.

Hasta La Victoria Siempre, Until Eternal Victory.