Cubans continued to mourn their former leader, Fidel Castro as thousands lined up to pay their respects in Havana.

While he made revolutionary changes and transformed his country’s direction for half a century, Fidel Castro is also remembered for the major role he played across the world.

He supported and inspired leftist movements and leaders in Latin America. He was an early supporter of Nelson Mandela in his fight against apartheid in South Africa. He shared close links with Russia and was a friend to China.

CCTV Correspondent Michael Voss shared the view from Havana. 
Follow Michael Voss on Twitter @mvosscuba

Tonight’s panel take a look at Castro’s global influence, including in Africa, Asia and throughout Latin America;

• Jia Xiudong, senior research fellow in Residence at China Institute of International Studies.
• Anton Fedyashin, professor of History at American University and a specialist in Russian and European History.
• Piero Gleijeses, professor of American Foreign Policy, Johns Hopkins University.

For more: 

Fidel Castro played crucial role in Angola and therefore in freeing South Africa, as Nelson Mandela has noted.https://t.co/8jOK8a8qqW pic.twitter.com/B6Gl0wlSGc

— Sam Husseini (@samhusseini) November 26, 2016

Not only did Fidel Castro & Cuba help end apartheid in South Africa, he also helped the African nation of Angola win it's independence pic.twitter.com/Ek59YI4lNG

— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) November 26, 2016

“Mandela wrote from Robben Island: “It was the first time that a country had come from another continent not to take something away, but to help Africans to achieve their freedom.”