The death of Cuba's long-time leader, Fidel Castro, has left one local Cuban relieved that the man who took over his beloved country and his family's business in the 1960s, is gone.
"When I heard Castro died, it was the happiest day in fifty years," says Roberto Meireles.
Meireles, owner of Gusto Cuban Cafe says he's not celebrating the death of a political leader, but celebrating the possibility of a new chapter for a place he still feels is home.
"Before Castro, Cuba was like the jewel of the Caribbean because it has everything. And you miss that. Because everything in Cuba is now different because of him," says Meireles.
Meireles's parents owned a store in his hometown of Aguada de Pasajeros before Castro began taking over businesses.
"They took over everybody's businesses. They walked into our store and said it now belonged to the government. They own the whole island. Castro was the owner," says Meireles.
Meireles, says Castro had made it mandatory for boys to enlist in his military at the age of 15 and serve until they were 28. Meireles says once his parents knew what Castro had in store for him and for Cuba, they arranged for him to leave the island and move to Spain.
Meireles says he blames Castro for changing the trajectory of his life and having to be be separated from his parents with no communication for more than 14 years.
"It's not Raul, it's not anybody. It's him. Fidel. He is the key of everything. Because if he's there, everything is controlled," adds Meireles.
Meireles's hope now is for Cuba to be reintegrated back with the rest of the world.
"We want the country to go back into the world, I want to be able to go back and forth when I want - to be normal, like owning your own store, owning everything for the people of the future."
Meireles says he's celebrating the end of Castro, but wishes his parents, who lived under Castro's ruling for decades, could've lived to see this day.
"My parents already passed so they didn't have the pleasure to see this day, but at least I did."
