Politically, Pope John Paul II has been widely credited for helping to bring about the fall of communism by inspiring workers in his native Poland to rise up against the Soviet-controlled regime. His message to the Polish people was simple: “Be not afraid.” At the same time he was seen as a friend of Cuba. On Saturday Fidel Castro sent his condolences to the Vatican and favorably recalled the Pope’s 1998 visit during which the Pope condemned the US blockade of the island. The Cuban government described the Pope as “someone who cared for the poor, someone who fought neo-liberalism and struggled for peace,” However, the Pope was also widely criticized in Latin America for rejecting priests who advocated liberation theology as a means to uplift the poor.