Only Family And Guests Accompanied The Ashes Of Castro To Santa Ifigenia Cemetery

Only Family And Guests Accompanied The Ashes Of Castro To Santa Ifigenia
Cemetery / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, 4 December 2016 – After nine days of intense media
frenzy, the final goodbye to Fidel Castro has taken place far from the
national television cameras. The remains of the former president were
placed in a mausoleum in Santa Ifigenia cemetery, in the early hours of
Sunday in a private and simple ceremony, as stated by his brother Raul
Castro.

The third highest official of the French government, Ségolène Royal,
explained to AFP that, "There was no speech, it was very sober."

The caravan with the ashes of Fidel Castro left Sunday at 6:40 AM local
time from Antonio Maceo Plaza, heading to the famous cemetery where the
remains of national hero José Martí lie, along with those of famous
patriots of Cuban independence.

The ceremony inside the cemetery was attended only by family members of
the deceased leader and "specially invited guests," as confirmed by the
national press. The cemetery remained closed throughout the duration of
the farewell and guests entered through a private door, which prevented
the press and hundreds of people waiting outside Santa Ifigenia from
seeing them. Everything indicates that the guests included the
presidents of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and Bolivia, Evo Morales, along
with former Brazilian presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma
Rousseff.

Castro's crypt resembles an immense gray rock, which at its center has a
niche covered with a marble plaque with the name "Fidel" inscribed on it
in gold letters. Although the first images of the funeral monument, a
few steps from that of José Martí, were published as of midmorning,
television and the official press did not air the news until several
hours later.

During the placement of the urn with the ashes of Castro in Santa
Ifigenia, the official television only broadcast scenes of the massive
event of the night before, which, according to official figures,
involved more than half a million people and where President Raul Castro
extolled voluntarism and the tenacity of his brother.

In the streets of Santiago and at the advance of the funeral procession,
thousands of people shouted slogans such as "I am Fidel!" and "Long live
Fidel!" The procession that moved the remains to the cemetery was
presided over by the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR),
General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, and deputy FAR ministers Ramón Espinosa
Martin and Joaquin Quinta Solas.

The ashes of Fidel Castro arrived in Santiago de Cuba after a journey of
almost 600 miles from Havana, that lasted about four days. The leader of
the Revolution died on 25 November, at age 90.

Source: Only Family And Guests Accompanied The Ashes Of Castro To Santa
Ifigenia Cemetery / 14ymedio – Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/only-family-and-guests-accompanied-the-ashes-of-castro-to-santa-ifigenia-cemetery-14ymedio/