Juanita Castro, sister to the now deceased Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, has no plans to go back to the island for her brother’s funeral.
Juanita, who is 83 and has been exiled in the United States since 1964, gave this statement to El Nuevo Herald Saturday.
“Before the bad rumors that I was going to Cuba for funerals, I want to clarify that I have never returned to the island, nor do I have plans to do so,” she said. “I have fought alongside this exile, arm and arm in the most active and intense stages in past decades, and I respect the feelings of each one.”
“I do not rejoice at the death of any human being, much less can I do it with someone with my blood and my surnames,” Juanita Castro said. “As a sister of Fidel, I am living at the moment of the loss of a human being who had my blood, just as happened at the time with the deaths of my brothers Ramon and Angelita.”
According to EL Nuevo Herald, Ramon Castro died on February 23 of this year at the age of 91 years and Ángela Castro died on February 28, 2012 at the age of 88.
Juanita continued, “I’ve been in this exile in Miami for 51 years, like all the Cubans who went out to find a space to fight for the freedom of their country.” She added, “I did it, that was more than clear, and I have never changed my position even though I had to pay a high price for pain and isolation.”
“For decades I faced the system enforced in Cuba and also those who are in exile unjustly did not forgive my surnames…Castro Ruz and attack me ruthlessly,” she said.
Juanita concluded, “I hope that we can find, not a way of confrontation and hatred, but one that finally unites us to all Cubans.”