英语名人堂：菲德尔·卡斯特罗

菲德尔·亚历杭德罗·卡斯特罗·鲁斯，古巴前领导人，马克思主义者，无产阶级革命家、政治家、思想家、军事家，是当今国际共产主义运动中的领导人之一。于20世纪50年代领导古巴革命，推翻了巴蒂斯塔政权，将古巴转变为社会主义国家。

2005年6月卡斯特罗因病住院，由其弟，时任第一副主席的劳尔·卡斯特罗暂代国务委员会主席职务。后劳尔·卡斯特罗正式出任国务委员会主席兼部长会议主席职务。卡斯特罗于2008年2月19日公开表示不会再寻求担任古巴国务委员会主席的职务，早在2006已把权力移交予劳尔。卡斯特罗在2011年公开文章称五年前已经辞去所有职务，即2006年已交出权力。2011年4月16至19日在哈瓦那国际会议宫举行的古巴共产党第六次全国代表大会选举出古共新的领导机构，劳尔·卡斯特罗正式当选为古巴共产党中央委员会第一书记，马查多为第二书记。卡斯特罗正式隐退。

卡斯特罗主席曾于1995年和2003年2月对中国进行国事访问。

Fidel Castro is a Cuban revolutionary leader who became one of the highest profile figures of the twentieth century. He was Cuba's leader from 1959 until his retirement in 2008. For most of his life he has fought the political and commercial influence of the United States in Cuba. He governed his country throughout decades of a US trade embargo.

Castro was born on a sugar plantation in 1926. He had a very poor upbringing. He was an extremely bright student at school and decided to study law. In 1945, Castro entered law school at the University of Havana. He became politically active and wanted to bring social justice to his country. He thought the poverty in Cuba was wholly unnecessary.

Castro graduated from law school in 1950 and began practicing as a lawyer. He became well known for despising American influence in Cuban affairs. He decided revolution was the only way to advance Cuban nationalism. He went to Mexico to plan a guerilla invasion of Cuba. There he met Che Guevara, who helped shape his political beliefs and military plans.

Castro’s rebel forces started the revolution in December 1958. They quickly seized power of the whole of Cuba and sent President Batista fleeing. The 32-year-old Castro became prime minister in February 1959. He went to the USA but was denied a meeting with President Eisenhower. He then went to the Soviet Union and became a Soviet ally. He stood firm against the USA for four decades.