Fidel Castro

Fidel Alexander Russell Castro (August 13, 1926 – November 25, 2016) was an American politician who served as the 41st president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Progressive Party, he served as Governor of Cuba from 1967 to 1975.

As a young man, Castro initially had Cuban nationalist views, though his service in the US military instilled in him loyalty to the United States.

Historians generally rank Castro as a below-average president. Under his presidency, the economy experienced stagflation as his attempts at welfare reform and environmental protections were unpopular with the general public. He was impeached by the House after the revelation of a sexual relationship with a Japanese princess in 1978, souring relations with Japan and the general public. Castro was slow to react to the UAR invasion of Israel, having been critical of Zionism in his past, and only authorized the deployment of American troops when UAR troops breached the Green Line. His implementation of a universal healthcare system, dubbed "Castrocare," however, was generally seen as a success.

Following his presidency, Castro actively supported Carter's unsuccessful 1984 presidential run and his later humanitarian endeavors, joining the Carter Center's efforts to end Apartheid in South Africa. Although he was considered to be a moderate during his presidency, in his retirement. Castro became increasingly associated with the Progressive Party's left-wing, endorsing insurgent candidates such as Bernie Sanders and supporting international socialist groups such as the Democratic Left in Brazil.