Hasta siempre
I’m not gonna lie: I was never a firm believer of socialism and communism, but I always found the idea of universal equality and of a “benevolent dictator” able to deliver healthcare, education, and basic wages to all of his subjects, a captivating one to the very least . Which is why I used to idolise revolutionary leaders and Fidel Castro most of all.
Being born and raised in the country that invented fascism it was very easy for me to see the toxicity of right-wing totalitarianism and for many years the downsides of left-wing authoritarianism were lost on me, because I saw it as the natural opposing force to the thing that I hated the most and that is still crawling through our society despite the mayhem that brought upon the world.
Then I studied Political Science and was lucky enough to have Professors with diverse points of view on history, I met people who had been born and raised under such regimes (and fled them), read about less known endeavours of those leaders*, and had to admit that, as cliché as it sounds, “it’s complicated”. I know better than polarise between good and evil, and that the benevolent dictator is only a theoretical political figure, but Fidel Castro will remain one of the most influential figures of the XX century and in my understanding of the world.
Hasta siempre.
*The series “Guia Politicamente Incorreto” by Brazilian Journalist Leandro Narloch is a fantastic and occasionally horrifying read.
