Vietnam to hold a day of national mourning for Fidel Castro

The decision was made by the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee based on the special relationship between Vietnam and Cuba.

Fidel Castro, who was Commander-in-chief of the Cuban revolution, former First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee (CPC), and former President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers, died in the evening of November 25 (Havana time) at the age of 90.

Cuba announced nine days of national mourning for him from November 26 to December 4. Fidel will be interred in a cemetery in Santiago city on December 4.

He was born on August 13, 1926, in Oriente province (now Holguin), eastern Cuba. He led the Cuban revolution to victory, seizing the administration on January 1, 1959.

He served as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and held the position as First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee from 1965 until April 2011

From 1976 to 2008, Fidel Castro was a member of the parliament and was elected as President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers.

On July 31, 2006, due to ill health, he handed over power to Raul Castro, the then Second Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and First Vice President of the Council of State.

In February 2008, Fidel Castro declared he would not run for election to the seventh National Assembly and State leadership positions. He also resigned from his post as First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the sixth Congress of the CPC in April 2011.

Cuba and Vietnam established diplomatic ties on December 2, 1960. Since then, Fidel Castro, Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh and following leaders of the two countries have continually nurtured the solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and mutual trust between the two Parties, States and peoples.

Fidel Castro made three visits to Vietnam in September 1973, December 1995, and February 2003. He was the first foreign leader to visit the newly-liberated area in the central province of Quang Tri in September 1973. He was also a country leader who took the lead in international movements to support Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and reunification, along with national development and defence.

With all his great contributions, Fidel Castro was presented with the two most noble orders of the Vietnamese State: the Golden Star Order in 1982 and the Ho Chi Minh Order in 1989.