Odd that Teribus should be trying to sideline Castro almost right out of history as far as America goes, being such an aficionado of history himself. Whatever you think of Castro, he is unarguably a giant political figure of the 20th century. When giant figures die, tradition dictates that there's a massive assessment/reassessment of their place in history. That is what's happening right now (and why it's right that there should be a thread - cheers, Joe). It can be a learning curve for those who relegated Castro to the backs of their minds once he'd lost influence after the collapse of the Soviet Union, even more so when he became old and unwell.

Joe is quite right in putting the flight of the rich from Cuba to Florida once Batista was gone into proper context. You have to wonder how some of the bitter expats and their descendants who form that right-wing political force in Florida came upon their family money. The bare stats don't tell the whole story, do they, Teribus?