Fidel Castro celebrates his 90th birthday by attacking US over ‘Machiavellian plans’
Castro also condemned President Obama for failing to explicitly apologise for dropping atomic bombs during his historic visit to Japan in May
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro revived old enmities with the United States as he celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday, skewering Havana’s cold war foe for its repeated attempts on his life.
Castro, who retired from public life in 2006 due to ill health and appointed his brother Raul in his place, criticised US President Barack Obama for failing to explicitly apologise during his historic visit to Japan in May for the US’s decision to drop the atomic bomb in 1945.
“The US president’s speech in Japan lacked the words to apologise for the killing of hundreds of thousands of people in Hiroshima, even though they [the US] knew the effects of the bomb,” the former leader said in an article published by official media.
I almost laughed at the Machiavellian plans of US presidents
Castro recalled his own youth and confrontation with the US.
“I almost laughed at the Machiavellian plans of US presidents,” Castro said.
According to Cuban intelligence services, Castro faced 634 plots between 1958 and 2000. Several of those have been substantiated by US officials; some reportedly involved slipping poisoned or explosive cigars to the cigar-loving Cuban leader.
Castro’s brother Raul restored diplomatic relations with Washington last year.
