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Hollande mourns loss of 'towering' Castro

French president, who met former Cuban leader in May 2015, said Castro 'incarnated the Cuban revolution' - including its later 'disillusionment'.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

French President François Hollande has mourned the loss the "towering" former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, while noting concerns over human rights under his regime, reports ITV News.

Mr Hollande, who met revolutionary socialist leader in May 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to the country since the Cuban revolution, said: "Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionment."

He added: "France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the US embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves."

Read more of this report from ITV News.