Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, who was widely criticized for fondly remembering Fidel Castro without mention of his human rights record, has defended his comments but said the late Cuban leader was a dictator. Fidel Castro: Justin Trudeau ridiculed over praise of 'remarkable leader' Read moreTrudeau sparked fury and online mockery after he referred to Castro as a “remarkable leader” and expressed his sorrow at the death of “Cuba’s longest-serving president”. “The fact is Fidel Castro had a deep and lasting impact on the Cuban people,” Trudeau told reporters in a televised news conference at a Madagascar Francophonie summit. “He certainly was a polarizing figure and there certainly were significant concerns around human rights. Some Conservative opposition lawmakers on Sunday urged Trudeau to boycott Castro’s funeral while contenders for the Conservative leadership criticized his comments.

Source: The Guardian November 27, 2016 19:01 UTC