Cubans in Fidel Castro's hometown of Santiago de Cuba were the last to bid farewell to the late revolutionary leader as his ashes traveled across the country during nine days of mourning following his death on Nov. 25 at the age of 90.
After a four-day journey from Havana retracing the historical steps of the revolution's triumphant march to the capital upon the fall of the dictatorship in 1959, Fidel's ashes arrived in Santiago de Cuba on Saturday, where thousands gathered to commemorate the late president. In the last public event before Fidel's funeral Sunday, President Raul Castro pledged to defend his older brother's legacy and carry on the torth of Cuba's revolution.
Fidel's ashes arrived at Santiago de Cuba's Santa Ifigenia cemetery Sunday, where they were interred in a "simple" ceremony alongside famed independence leader Jose Marti and other important figures in Cuba's history.
Fidel Castro led the revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and governed the country for nearly half a century before deligating control to then-Vice President Raul Castro in 2006 before officially leaving politics in 2008.
Keeping with Fidel's dying wish and rejection of personality cults, Raul Castro announced that the late leader's image will not be immortalized in statues or namesakes of public places.