After sweeping to power in a communist uprising in 1959, Castro served as prime minister or president of the Caribbean island state for nearly 50 years, surviving a U.S.-backed military invasion, 10 U.S. presidents, U.S. economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and the demise of his chief Soviet sponsor. He also played a central role in bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban missile crisis.
Fidel Castro (1926-2016) -- A Life In Pictures
Fidel Castro, the man who led Cuba for nearly five decades, has died at the age of 90.
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A dove rests on Castro's shoulders as he addresses Cuban youth in 1989 during celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the country's communist revolution.
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Fidel Castro (center) with guides and security agents at the Great Wall of China while on a state visit in December 1995.
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Castro talks to Pope John Paul II during the latter's visit to Havana in January 1998.
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Castro (center) is helped by his bodyguards after he fell over at the end of a speech following a graduation ceremony in central Cuba in October 2004.