In America, President-elect Donald Trump and Cuban American senators all but cheered Fidel Castro's death.
A little farther north, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was mourning “a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century.”
“While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro’s supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for ‘el Comandante,’ ” Trudeau’s statement said.
“I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away. It was also a real honour to meet his three sons and his brother President Raúl Castro during my recent visit to Cuba.”
The prime minister ended his statement by calling Castro a “remarkable leader.”
Trudeau’s positive statements about Castro met with an instant backlash in Canada and elsewhere.
[How Donald Trump responded to Fidel Castro’s death]
Political scientist Ian Bremmer, the president of Eurasia Group, tweeted, “Cubans deserve better.” Maxime Bernier, a Canadian politician, suggested Trudeau didn’t know the difference between “longest serving president” and “dictator.”
Marco Rubio, a Cuban American U.S. senator who ran for president, asked sacastically on Twitter if Trudeau’s statement was real or a parody. If real, Rubio (R) called it “shameful & embarrassing.”
Is this a real statement or a parody? Because if this is a real statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful & embarrassing. https://t.co/lFXeqU7Ws0
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016
Trudeau honors Castro on his death. Cuban citizens and exiles deserve better. pic.twitter.com/giAzaGAkL4
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 26, 2016
"Cuba’s longest serving President."
.@JustinTrudeau: It's called a DICTATOR. pic.twitter.com/b33GA5W28Y
— Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) November 26, 2016
Trudeau’s statement even sparked the hashtag #trudeaueulogies, as people chimed in with positive things about historically evil people.
"Mr. Stalin's greatest achievement was his eradication of obesity in the Ukraine through innovative agricultural reforms." #TrudeauEulogies
— Melissa Lantsman (@MelissaLantsman) November 26, 2016
Today we remember Adolf Hitler, whose vision for the autobahn changed the face of vehicular transportation forever #TrudeauEulogies
— Rahim Mohamed (@rmohamed_nc) November 26, 2016
Let us remember Osama Bin Laden. He was a thief and a terrorist, but he had a marvelous singing voice. #trudeaueulogies
— Gir Draxa (@GirDraxa) November 26, 2016
#trudeaueulogies Today I bid adieu to Jeffrey Dahmer, known for his culinary adventurism. For Jeffrey there were no taboos in the kitchen.
— Richard Ciano (@richardciano) November 26, 2016
Even Pilate's enemies acknowledged that condemning #Jesus to death was a noble act by a dictator who cared. #trudeaueulogies
— (((Maxx-Phillippe))) (@maxxphillippe) November 26, 2016
Saddened about the passing of Sauron who, while heavy-handed, did advocate for open borders and usher in industrial era. #trudeaueulogies
— Elana Fric Shamji (@ElanaFricShamji) November 26, 2016
Despite the United States’ history with Cuba, Canada has maintained its relationship with the largest island in the Caribbean since the 18th century. Mexico and Canada continued diplomatic relations with Cuba in the years after Fidel Castro took power in 1959.
About a million Canadians vacation in Cuba every year — which accounts for about 40 percent of the tourist population.
This post inaccurately said Mexico and Canada were the only countries in the Western hemisphere that kept ties with Cuba after 1959. This post has been updated.
Read more:
How Donald Trump responded to the death of Fidel Castro, ‘a brutal dictator’
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Cuban American senators on Castro: ‘Fidel’s oppressive legacy will haunt’ Cuba