HAVANA,The departure of Cuba's President Raul Castro brings to an end his family's six-decade grip on power, which began with his late brother and revolutionary hero Fidel. RevolutionOn New Year's Day in 1959, dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba, defeated by 26 months of guerrilla warfare spearheaded by the Castro brothers. Missile crisisIn October 1962, the United States identifies facilities for Soviet Union nuclear missiles installed on Cuba. His death brings an end to a scheme to spread the Cuban revolution across Latin America, starting with Bolivia. Thaw with USIn December 2014, then US president Barack Obama and Raul Castro announce plans to normalize US-Cuba ties after 53 years of hostilities.

Source: Daily Nation April 19, 2018 06:00 UTC