Donald Trump, Obama and world leaders react to Fidel Castro's death

President-elect Donald Trump has hailed the death former president and Cuban revolutionary, Fidel Castro, who has died aged 90.

In typical Trump form, the next leader of the United States took to Twitter to issue his reaction, which was triumphant, but brief.

Trump said: "Fidel Castro is dead!"

In contrast, outgoing US President Barack Obama, who had worked to repair relations between the US and the Carribean Communist state, offered condolences to Castro's family and said that, "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."

Meanwhile, Pope Francis, who helped to restore diplomatic relations between The US and Cuba, expressed his sadness at the death of Castro. He said: "I express to you my sentiments of grief."

Castro's death was announced by his brother and current Cuban president, Raul Castro, late on Friday, which has caused an outpouring of condolences from other world leaders.

Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn hailed Castro as a "huge figure of modern history, national independence and 20th century socialism".

Though Corbyn commented on the need for human rights and freedom of speech in the country, he also said: "From building a world-class health and education system, to Cuba's record of international solidarity abroad, Castro's achievements were many.

"For all his flaws, Castro's support for Angola played a crucial role in bringing an end to apartheid in South Africa and he will be remembered both as an internationalist and a champion of social justice."

Reflecting on the recent meetings between the US and Cuba, he added: "It is to the credit of both the Castros that they and President Obama reached an accord and reached an agreement so that there are now better, more normal relationships between Cuba and the USA."

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said in a statement on Saturday: "Fidel Castro's leadership of the 1959 Cuban Revolution marked him out as an historic if controversial figure.

"The UK will continue to work with the government of Cuba on a wide range of foreign policy priorities, including on human rights."

French President Francois Hollande, who was the first French leader to visit Cuba since 1898, released a statement on Saturday morning sending his condolences to Raul Castro and the people of Cuba.

He said: "Fidel Castro was a figure of the 20th century. He embodied the Cuban revolution, in the hopes it had raised then in the disillusionment it had caused. He represented Cuban pride and the rejection of foreign domination.

"France, which denounced the violations of human rights, had always challenged the embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba. We had welcomed his openness and dialogue which was restored between the two countries."

The prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, extended his "deepest condolences" to the people of Cuba. "We stand in support with the Cuban Government & people of Cuba in this tragic hour," he said.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the former president of the Soviet Union and one of the last international allies of Castro, spoke of his sadness about the death of his "firm friend" on Saturday morning.

He said: "Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development."

"I formed a very good opinion of him.

"We became firm friends and remained friends until the end...

"In the 20th century, Fidel Castro did everything to destroy the colonial system, to establish relations of cooperation...

"I am really sad that Fidel's time is over. He will remain in our memory as an outstanding politician, an outstanding man and our friend."

Current president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, who met with both Fidel and Raul Castro in 2014 said Castro was the "symbol of an era".

He said: "The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history. Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia."

The prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, extended his "deepest condolences" to the people of Cuba. He said: "We stand in support with the Cuban Government & people of Cuba in this tragic hour."

The Nelson Mandela foundation tweeted its regret at the passing of Castro, who was an ally of Mandela and worked with him in his struggle against apartheid.

Former cricketer and leader of Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Imran Khan spoke warmly of Castro on Saturday morning, thanking him for Cuba's support in the wake of the devastating 2005 earthquake which killed more than 86,000 people. The humanitarian aid sent to Pakistan by Cuba helped to re-establish formal diplomatic relations which had ceased in 1990.

The left-wing grassroots political movement, Momentum, tweeted: "RIP Fidel Castro. A leader who will always be remembered by history."

Former MP George Galloway, who published the Fidel Castro Handbook in 2006, an account of Castro's rise to power, tweeted: "You were the greatest man I ever met commandant Castro."

But not everyone mourned Castro's passing, as US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who was born in Havana and represents a highly-populated Cuban area of Miami, tweeted of the oppression of Cuban people.

She tweeted: "Tyrant #FidelCastro is dead, a new day must dawn for the oppressed #Cuban people."