Fidel Castro Death Rumors Swirl: Are Twitter Users Just Confused Or Is Former Leader Of Cuba Dead?

Celebrity death hoaxes have been the new social media trend, and the latest victim, or supposed victim, of this extreme game of telephone is Fidel Castro. The main source of the rumor is Twitter; whose users are claiming the former communist’s leader of Cuba has died. Coincidentally enough, the claims of Castro’s death come after the death of another high-profile person with the last name of Castro. Fidel Castro Odinga, the 41-year old son of Nairobi’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga, was discovered dead only a few days before the Twitter rumors began. According to the police, Odinga who was considered by political observers to be a successor to this already powerful father was found dead in his home near Nairobi on Sunday. Only the evening before, Odinga enjoyed a Saturday night out drinking with friends. A Kenyan detective who wished to remain anonymous stated that, "The death ... is being treated as unexplained. We are investigating his final movements. A forensic pathologist has been called in and a post-mortem will be conducted to establish the cause of death."

Though there have been no official reports from Cuba regarding the possible death of the 88-year-old Fidel, Venezuelan media reports are claiming that the Cuba government has called for a press conference with international media today. Diario de Cuba, a prominent Cuban newspaper did not provide any specific time for the press conference, and stated that the Cuban government’s press office did not clarify which subject the conference would be addressing.

However, now an official statement by the Cuban government has been released. When asked about the press conference, an official at the International Press Center stated, "That is false. No press conference was not convened.” The Cuban Foreign Ministry department, which serves foreign media, concluded, “Whenever we announce a press conference to the media, it is done via email, no email was ever sent.” Castro, who passed on Cuba’s one-party leadership to his brother Raul in 2008, has lived in seclusion since his retirement. This has left many to believe that Castro’s health is suffering, seemingly allowing the death hoax to be believed by many.