OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office says he won't be attending any memorial or funeral services for the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Instead, Trudeau has dispatched Governor General David Johnston to attend a memorial service scheduled to take place Tuesday in Havana.
The service is to take place in Plaza de la Revolucion in Havana, steps away from a memorial where Trudeau laid a wreath during his recent visit to the island nation.
The Prime Minister's Office would not say if any other government representatives would attend memorial services or Castro's funeral.
Trudeau's decision follows harsh criticism at home and abroad for a laudatory statement issued on the weekend that praised the dictator's legacy.
Trudeau's statement expressed "deep sorrow" about the death of Castro, 90, without mentioning the human rights violations of his regime beyond referring vaguely to him as a "a controversial figure."
Trudeau also described Castro as a "legendary revolutionary and orator" who made significant improvements to the education and health-care systems of Cuba.
Trudeau defended his statement by saying he was trying to highlight the connections between Canada and Cuba.
When asked directly whether he thought Castro was a dictator, Trudeau said: "Yes."
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