People are dancing in the streets of Miami's Cuban exile community at news of the death of former president Fidel Castro.
Castro died at the age of 90 and will be cremated Saturday as the country begins nine days of mourning.
Public activities and events will be cancelled and the Cuban flag will fly at half-mast.
The Council of State says state radio and television ``will maintain informative, patriotic and historic programming.''
The leader of the Anti-Castro Democracy Movement says Cubans in Miami are celebrating the end of a symbol of repression for almost 60 years that has divided families, imprisoned and executed people and caused a lot of pain for Cuban families.
Castro's ashes will make a cross-country tour starting Wednesday from Havana to Santiago, retracing in reverse the route Castro took when the revolution he led triumphed in 1959.
Cuba's government says the remains of Fidel Castro will be interred in the eastern city of Santiago that was key to his early life and his revolution.