Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro was one of the longest-serving heads of state in history, ruling Cuba for 49 years. Over his five decades in power, he outlasted 11 U.S. presidents, ranging from Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush.

Surviving Hundreds of Assassination Attempts
The 638 Number: The Cuban intelligence agencies estimated that the CIA and anti-Castro exiles attempted to assassinate him 638 times.

Bizarre Methods: The failed plots included toxic cigars, an exploding milkshake, a chemically contaminated diving suit, and a powder meant to make his iconic beard fall out to damage his image.

Oratory and Speeches
UN Record: He holds the Guinness World Record for the longest speech delivered at the United Nations, lasting 4 hours and 29 minutes in 1960.

Marathon Speeches: His longest speech in Cuba lasted 7 hours and 10 minutes, delivered in 1986 at the Communist Party Congress in Havana.

The Famous Beard
Time Saver: Castro grew his trademark beard as a young revolutionary hiding in the mountains.

The Math
He kept it for practical reasons, calculating that not shaving saved him 5,000 minutes a year, which he preferred to spend on political work.

An Intense Obsession with Dairy
Ice Cream Lover: Castro had an intense fascination with milk and cheese, even opening Coppelia, a massive state-run ice cream parlor in Havana.

The Super-Cow: He poured state resources into breeding a “super-cow” named Ubre Blanca (White Udder), which made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for producing 110 liters of milk in a single day.

Childhood and Early Passions
Letter to FDR: At age 14, Castro wrote a letter to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He congratulated Roosevelt on his re-election and brazenly asked him for a $10 bill because he had never seen one.

The Baseball Myth: A long-standing urban legend claims Castro was a professional-grade baseball pitcher scouted by Major League Baseball. While he was a highly accomplished schoolboy athlete who loved the sport, he was never actually scouted by the MLB.

Banning Christmas
Economic Halt: In 1969, Castro officially abolished Christmas as a paid public holiday.

The Reason: He argued that the celebrations disrupted the crucial winter sugarcane harvest, which was the backbone of Cuba’s economy. The holiday was not officially restored until 1997, ahead of Pope John Paul II’s historic visit.