Hundreds celebrate Fidel Castro’s death in Miami

MIAMI, Fla. — Saturday marked a day of nonstop celebrations in Miami.

Cuban Americans, young and old, were waving American and Cuban flags, signs and cookware.

The celebrations began in the Little Havana neighborhood near Miami upon hearing the news that Fidel Castro died. People said the man who was Cuba’s leader for nearly 50 years forced them out of the country with his harsh dictatorship.

Jose Julia Garcia, a 91-year-old Cuban exile, stood alongside his son, Cesar, to celebrate Castro’s death.

“There’s a lot of heartbreak, so this is a day to rejoice,” Cesar Garcia said. “It is getting closer to finally a change for my dad, who’s been living here longer than he’s lived in Cuba. My dad’s here to witness this, it’s huge for him and for me as well.”

William Schuss, another Cuban exile, said Castro’s death gives him hope.

“We are here to celebrate the new era,” he said.

While the impact of Castro’s death is still unknown, many people are confident major changes lie ahead.