英語名人堂：菲德爾·卡斯特羅

菲德爾·亞歷杭德羅·卡斯特羅·魯斯，古巴前領導人，馬克思主義者，無產階級革命家、政治家、思想家、軍事家，是當今國際共產主義運動中的領導人之一。于20世紀50年代領導古巴革命，推翻了巴蒂斯塔政權，將古巴轉變?yōu)樯鐣髁x國家。

2005年6月卡斯特羅因病住院，由其弟，時任第一副主席的勞爾·卡斯特羅暫代國務委員會主席職務。后勞爾·卡斯特羅正式出任國務委員會主席兼部長會議主席職務?？ㄋ固亓_于2008年2月19日公開表示不會再尋求擔任古巴國務委員會主席的職務，早在2006已把權力移交予勞爾?？ㄋ固亓_在2011年公開文章稱五年前已經辭去所有職務，即2006年已交出權力。2011年4月16至19日在哈瓦那國際會議宮舉行的古巴共產黨第六次全國代表大會選舉出古共新的領導機構，勞爾·卡斯特羅正式當選為古巴共產黨中央委員會第一書記，馬查多為第二書記?？ㄋ固亓_正式隱退。

卡斯特羅主席曾于1995年和2003年2月對中國進行國事訪問。

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.