Television
Nov 28, 2016
Mike Barnicle on the death of the controversial former Cuban leader Fidel Castro

In discussing world leaders’ mixed reactions to the weekend death of the controversial former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Morning Joe senior contributor Mike Barnicle recalled covering the mass emigration of Cubans in 1980 juxtaposed with a statement by Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau, who described Castro as a “larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century.” Said Barnicle: “I can remember covering the Mariel Harbor evacuation in 1980. I was in Key West, Florida. We rented a boat and went out to meet the flotilla. It was the flotilla of many, many ships coming across the bay. To see, hear and speak to people…who risk their lives and the lives of their children to flee that island [about] why they wanted to flee that island would put a whole new twist on Prime Minster Trudeau’s statement.” Watch more on the story here.