What was fidel castros role in the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Fidel Castro was the leader of Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, which was a failed military invasion by U.S.-backed Cuban exiles aiming to overthrow his government. Castro's regime had come to power in 1959, and his alignment with the Soviet Union heightened U.S. concerns about communism in the Western Hemisphere. In response to the invasion, Castro successfully mobilized Cuban forces to repel the attackers, solidifying his position and increasing his popularity domestically. The failure of the invasion also strained U.S.-Cuba relations further and contributed to the Cold War tensions.