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A Life in Pictures: Fidel Castro, 1926-2016

Cuba's former president Fidel Castro, one of the world's most iconic leaders, through the lens of Magnum photographers

Magnum Photographers

Bob Henriques Fidel CASTRO giving a press conference in Havana in 1959 upon his liberation of the City. © Bob Henriques | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel CASTRO. Havana, Cuba, 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro in the crowd of white hats in La Havana, Cuba. 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro and his rebel Army stopping along the roadside on their march to liberate La Havana. Cuba. 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Thousands of supporters flocked in front of the Presidential Palace in La Havana to welcome their liberator Fidel Castro and the newly appointee Dr. Manuel Urrutia (as Fidel Castro was too young to (...)

Burt Glinn Times of euphoia as Fidel Castro and his army try to drive through the city of Ciefuego, on their way to liberate Havana. Cuba. 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro in progression in Santa Clara. 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Henri Cartier-Bresson Fidel Castro speaks on reorganization of the party. He displays telegrammes of Malinowski (Soviet Minister) and of Macnamara (US Secretary of Defense). Photographed after three hours of speaking at (...)

Bob Henriques Fidel Castro pitching at a baseball game between the Barbudos and the National Police Department. Cuba, 1959. © Bob Henriques | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro was not old enough to be elected president of Cuba, so Doctor Manuel Urritia (a Cuban exile in NY), who met Fidel Castro in La Havana in front of the Presidential Palace, was nominated (...)

René Burri Fidel Castro talking to the Latin American Women's congress. Chaplin Theater, Cuba, Havana. © René Burri | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro delivering an hours-long speech. He had arrived in Santa Clara following its liberation by forces lead by Ernesto Che Guevara. Santa Clara, Cuba. 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro lifts up a young admirer. Cuba, 1959. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro in his office during the first year of his rule. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Bob Henriques Fidel Castro inspecting Playa Giron, site of the aborted invasion of Cuba by American-backed forces. Cuba. 1961. © Bob Henriques | Magnum Photos

Bob Henriques Fidel Castro on the beach at Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs), the site of the unsuccessful invasion by US-backed forces. Cuba, 1961. © Bob Henriques | Magnum Photos

Elliott Erwitt Fidel Castro in 1964, Cuba. © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

Elliott Erwitt Fidel Castro visiting a housing project, Cuba, 1964 © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

Elliott Erwitt Fidel Castro. Havana, Cuba. 1964. © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

A. Abbas An 'abrazo' between Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Yugoslavian President Tito. Non Aligned Summit, Havana, Cuba. September 1979. © A. Abbas | Magnum Photos

René Burri 20th anniversary of Ernesto 'Che' Guevarra's death. Fidel Castro on TV. Santiago de Cuba. 1987. © René Burri | Magnum Photos

René Burri Fidel Castro at a rally in Havana. 1993. © René Burri | Magnum Photos

Ian Berry Fidel Castro among foreign dignitaries attending Mandela's inauguration as President of the Democratic Republic of South Africa. Pretoria. May 10, 1994. © Ian Berry | Magnum Photos

René Burri Cuban President Fidel Castro sightseeing in Paris. 1995. © René Burri | Magnum Photos

Thomas Hoepker Empty grocery store with Fidel Castro portrait. Pinar del Rio, Cuba. 1994. © Thomas Hoepker | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro in his office in Havana looking at photographs from the 1959 uprising with Burt Glinn, Havana, Cuba, 2001. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Burt Glinn Fidel Castro in his office in Havana, Cuba, 2001. © Burt Glinn | Magnum Photos

Alex Webb Cienfuegos, Cuba. 2007. © Alex Webb | Magnum Photos

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Cuba’s former president Fidel Castro, one of the world’s longest-serving and most iconic leaders, has died aged 90. Magnum photographers were there when he toppled the government in 1959, introducing a Communist revolution. He defied the US for decades, surviving many assassination plots. He had been in power for 49 years, until he delegated his presidential duties to his brother Raul Castro in July 2006. From historic political moments to pitching on a baseball field, we review his life in pictures, through the lenses of the Magnum photographers who documented his life and times throughout his rule.