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Who's the most magnificent human being you've ever met? I've met and interviewed a few Nobel prize-winners in my time, like the peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, or the Enlgish language's greatest living poet Seamus Heaney, or the medical scientist , one of the movers and shakers behind the human genome project. Then there's the myriad of humanitarian aid workers I've met all over the world, like the young doctors and nurses from working to provide anti-retroviral treatments in the Khayelitsha township just outside Cape Town. I've never personally met Nelson Mandela, but anyone who has would probably place him very high on their list of great human beings, let alone great political leaders.

But what about Fidel Castro? On a visit to Havana this week, George Galloway made an unannounced in the middle of a live programme on the (state-run) Cuban TV channel to offer his personal support to the Cuban dictator. As Mr Castro sat enjoying the moment, Mr Galloway fauned over him, and told the TV audience that 'the Cubans are the only people in the entire world who have a leader who can say that he doesn't possess one dollar to his name.'

This was a reference to Cuban president's robust denials of a recent article in which reported that Mr Castro had amassed a personal fortune of $900m. Forbes is still standing over that article.

In subsequent interviews, Mr Galloway showered praise on Fidel Castro and called him the human being I've ever met'.

Fauning over the magnificent Cuban dictator is a sensible move while in Cuba, especially if you are a journalist. Make a criticism of the Castro regime, or even cover a street demonstration for a news agency, and you risk the fate of the imprisoned there (often without charge) last year alone.

The words of the English playwright come to mind:

A prince is never so magnificent
As when he's sparing to enrich a few
With the injuries of many.

Discuss.