Castro Waxes Eloquent at Museum

Cuban President Fidel Castro, outfitted in fatigues and boots, took his place in Madame Tussaud’s waxworks museum Friday.

The wax museum unveiled the statue to coincide with the president’s 73rd birthday. Castro joins more than 365 famous and infamous honorees, including politicians, actors, rock stars and criminals.

The wax likeness took six months to complete and cost the equivalent of about $47,000, a museum spokeswoman said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. Sculptor Steve Swales visited Havana to take hundreds of measurements, and Castro agreed to donate a pair of boots and a set of fatigues.

“It has been for me a great honor, much more than I deserve,” Castro said in a statement released at the unveiling.

The Cuban leader was chosen to join the collection in recognition of the length of time he has been in power, the spokeswoman said. Castro came to power on New Year’s Day 1959 after a revolution forced dictator Fulgencio Batista to flee the island.

The museum said it likes to include national leaders to appeal to visiting tourists.