Cubans went to the streets to celebrate the end of Fidel Castro's power. The dictator passed away Saturday (11/25). A woman in Miami said " when a person like that dies, you celebrate. Because I lost everything, my family lost everything, like so many others, to the communist regime of Castro. Cubans have suffered long enough, this is a day of history. I have my grandkids with me and I told them 'you have to come and celebrate with me, because your grandmother has suffered a lot,' I left my country with only the clothes i had on, and we have been here since 1944".
Journalists were punished under Castro's regime, no freedom of the press
Under Castro's regime hundreds of journalists were imprisoned or killed, Cuban government kept a very strict control of the press, as in any dictatorship political dissent was quickly dealt with harsh reactions. Books, newspapers, radio channels, television channels, movies, and music are heavily censored and controlled by the government. Mobile cell phones are rare and internet connection is also strict, available only in certain places.
History of "Cuba libre" drink, a toast to freedom
So, do it like the Cubans and celebrate the weekend with a Cuba libre. According to Bacardi the drink was invented by Cuban and American soldiers who were collaborating with each other during the Spanish-American war, the men were at a bar in Havana, when a Cuban soldier ordered a mix of dark rum and coca-cola with a touch of lime, the American soldiers curious about the drink, ordered the same and suggested a toast, declaring "Cuba Libre" , which means free Cuba.
The drink soon gained popularity in US soil, and in 1945 a band named "the Andrews sisters" recorded the song "rum and coca-cola", but originated 45 years earlier, in 1900 when the American soda coca-cola first arrived in Cuba.
How to make the drink
There are many variations of the drink, some with club soda, diet coke, or dr pepper, and/or juice.
But, the classic Cuba Libre recipe is made of:
- 6 ice cubes
- 50 ml of dark rum
- 100 ml of coca-cola
- pour everything in a long glass decorated with lime wedges (not lemons)
- stir the mixture away from a dictator and toast "Cuba Libre!"
