Massive Castro tribute rally held in Cuba’s Havana

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in a mass rally held in tribute to recently deceased Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The crowds took to the streets of the country’s capital Havana to pay tribute to Castro who passed away at the age of 90 late on Friday night.

People chanted “long live the revolution!” and “Fidel! Fidel!” as foreign dignitaries from across the globe also took part in services.

The latest event is part of the country’s week-long commemorations held in honor of Castro.

The urn containing the late leader’s ashes is set to taken on a four-day procession from the capital to the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba on Wednesday to symbolize the route he took with the rebel army that overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

“I feel a deep sadness, but immense pride in having had him near,” said one of the people taking part in the rally.”His physical departure gives us strength to continue advancing in his ideology. This isn’t going away, because we are millions,” she added.

“Goodbye commander. Your ideas remain here with us…I feel great pain over his death. I owe my entire life to him. He brought me out of the mountains. I was able to study thanks to him,” said another participant.

Castro was known for his anti-imperialist ideas and was particularly opposed to Washington’s capitalist agenda.

He survived hundreds of attempts on his life, many of them believed to have been orchestrated by the US.