According to declassified documents, Fidel Castro hired former SS officers to train his Cuban fighting forces.
Bearded Communist
The bearded communist leader also tried to buy weapons from neo-Nazis during the Cuban missile crisis.
A German intelligence agency has released information gathered during the stand-off at the height of the Cold War.
The files show that Castro himself, now 86, approved a plan to bring four former SS officers to the tiny Caribbean island, despite his declared hatred of fascism.
Death Squad Officers
Two of the death squad officers are reported to have arrived in Havana after being offered wages four times higher than the average salary in
Germany.
The papers, which have been secret for 50 years, also show Castro tried to buy 400 machine guns for his army from far-right traffickers in Belgium.
Historians say the move shows it was Castro who was prepared to deal with his enemies in order to take on the US. Cuba has claimed that the CIA tried assassinating the bearded leader no fewer than 637 times – including one plot involving an exploding cigar.
Power Exchange Due to Declining Health
But America’s number one enemy, who took power during an armed revolution, ruled the country for 49 years.
He handed over power to his younger brother Raul in 2008 due to ailing health.
