Finian McGrath says human rights abuses in Cuba were ‘exaggerated’

Independent Alliance Minister Finian McGrath has described the death of Fidel Castro as a “very sad day” and claimed many of the human rights abuses spoken of were “exaggerated”.

Mr McGrath, who travelled to Cuba during the Castro regime, said Castro oversaw many positive developments.

He said President Michael D Higgins was “correct” in his sympathetic comments in a statement issued in the wake of Castro’s passing at the age of 90. Mr McGrath added that the President was merely reflecting the view of a large amount of Irish people.