Brazilian author discusses Fidel's biography скачать в хорошем качестве

Brazilian author discusses Fidel's biography

(27 Nov 2016) The author of Fidel Castro's only consented biography on Sunday recalled her conversations with the Cuban revolutionary icon, as he tried to unite a divided nation polarised by his regime. Yet as Brazilian journalist Claudia Furiati reflected back on the life of one of Latin America's most controversial and influential leaders two days after his death, she also remembered the challenging moments of his regime that shook him to his core. One of them was in 1994 after a string of boat hijackings, unprecedented rioting and the killing of a Cuban navy lieutenant prompted Castro to suggest that those wanting to leave, could. Over about five weeks, more than 35,000 Cubans took Castro at his word and sailed away on makeshift rafts while authorities stood by. Many didn't make it. "He went down to Havana's bay, near the Malecon, there was a shipwreck," Furiati recalled. "At that moment he arrived there very angry." "I saw him almost reach the point of fighting and being severe. His objective was to avoid a social explosion at that moment," she stated, adding that Castro was both adored and despised by many Cubans at the time. Holding the biography in her hands as she gave an interview to the Associated Press from the balcony of her apartment, the 62-year-old author said she didn't quite believe the news when she first heard of Castro's death. "We know there are many rumours," she said. But after hearing that Castro's brother and current President of Cuba, Raul Castro, had given the news on state television, there was no doubt about it. Furiati spent many years living in Cuba in the late 90s before moving back to Brazil in 2000 to write the book on Fidel's life. "Fidel Castro - A Consented Biography" was first published in Brazil in 2001. It was later translated to several other languages but never into English. Even though Cuba's supreme leader allowed Furiati to follow him closely for the book, it was never published in Cuba either. The years of polarisation and economic hardships in Cuba are the years Furiati said she remembered the most. But Castro always tried to find a solution for the problems of his people, she added. "He took it personally," Furiati said recalling how the Cuban leader would go to the streets, universities, fields and villages to talk and reach out to a divided population. She said she didn't see Castro dedicate as much time to his family than he did to his people, though he occasionally enjoyed cooking for them. Furiati said she interviewed dozens of Castro's closest allies including his brothers Raul and Ramon who passed away earlier this year. "With some it was easier than others. Some would freeze with fear of exposing too much," Furiati recalled. "To touch on Fidel's image was always something to be fearful of. It still is today even though he no longer exists," she added. "It's a sort of absent presence." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...