King Juan Carlos represents Spain at Castro Memorial Service

THE sudden announcement of the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro on November 25 meant that it would have been very difficult for King Felipe to cancel his planned official visit to Portugal in the company of Queen Letizia and instead his father Juan Carlos agreed to travel to Havana on November 29 accompanied by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Ibero-America, Jesus Gracia to officially represent Spain.

There have been mixed feelings about a member of the Spanish Royal Family attending the official memorial ceremony which led to Fernando Maura, foreign affairs spokesman for Ciudadanos complaining that this should not have happened due to the deplorable record of former president Castro.

There was even a demonstration in Madrid soon after his death where anti-communist exiles from Cuba drank wine bottled in the year that he seized power in celebration of his death, whilst opponents chanted “Long live socialist Cuba.”

Always a controversial figure, Fidel Castro continues to hit the headlines even after his death.