New Delhi, Aug. 14 -- Fidel Castro would have turned 100 on Thursday, and his long shadow continues to loom over the island as he remains revered by some who miss him in the face of a crippling U.S. energy blockade and blamed by others who see him as the architect of the system that led to Cuba's current crisis.

This week, Cuba commemorated Castro with events including the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from leftist organizations across the continent.

Posters bearing his image hang in hospitals, while billboards displaying his slogans - including his widely known "Homeland or Death" - line the streets. His presence is so familiar that many Cubans refer to him simply as Fidel.

"I believe (...