Roberto Chile called this photo “resistencia”.
Photo: Roberto Chile/Private Collection
Cuba, like the GDR, was in its final phase, people who had been there said at the end of the noughties: a bad atmosphere and no money, but a better climate. That sounded more credible than the everything-totally-great statements spread among leftists. The point, however, is that Cuba still exists today as a socialist state, under the most difficult conditions. It has to be said that it also owes this to the long-time head of state Fidel Castro, one of the most important statesmen of the 20th century. His exceptional position can be seen in the fact that his followers often only call him “Fidel”, just as his friend and comrade Ernesto Guevara is only called by his nickname “Che” and Diego Maradona, who had it tattooed on his lower leg, only “La Diez” is called. This never happened to any party or state leader under real socialism; no one wanted to talk about “Erich” or “Leonid” – that is also one reason why real socialism failed.
The photographer and cameraman Roberto Chile said about “Fidel”: “You can share his ideas or not, be a supporter or an opponent, but his personality simply leaves no one unimpressed.” Chile was his trusted photographer from 1984 to 2006, especially on this one Traveling abroad, in the end he only photographed details: Castro’s cap, his hands holding a manuscript or his upper body. “Fidel es Fidel” is the name of a beautiful illustrated book from Chile that was published by Verlag 8. Mai.
Roberto Chile, born in Havana, was originally a communications engineer and photography was his hobby. He then became a professional cameraman and also made documentaries such as “Ghost town to Havana” with two baseball coaches, one in Oakland, USA, and one in Havana, Cuba. Or “Soy Tata Nganga” about a 93-year-old Cuban priest and his followers. Isn’t Raúl Castro, Fidel’s brother and temporary successor, the same age? In any case, Roberto Chile turns 70 this Saturday.
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