Adios, Fidel! Cuba won't be the same without you (hopefully)
I cannot believe Fidel Castro actually resigned as the president of Cuba. I mean he is only 81 years old and still has plenty of energy to keep him going for at least 35 more years! Was I the only one who thought that Fidel was actually immortal? Well, we'll still have to see about that.
In his written speech to the nation, Fidel said that he is not "fading into the sunset." It's just that his health is not allowing him to dedicate the energy necessary to run a country. I am sure running a totalitarian state takes a lot out of you. You know, it's lonely at the top.
According to the NY Times, Fidel's statement raised the possibility that little would change after Sunday, when the National Assembly meets to select a new head of state. Cuba will probably continue to be ruled in essence by two presidents, "with Raúl Castro (Fidel's brother) on stage while Fidel Castro lurked in the wings."
Reuters reported that Fidel's resignation was unlikely to make the United States lift its trade embargo on Cuba. See, just more of the same old.
Filed under: North America, South America, Cuba, United States, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Feb 20th 2008 @ 9:53AM
Julia Rosien said...
I agree - same old, same old - for now anyway. But, Raul is a reformist and the potential for political unrest is huge:
http://www.gogirlfriend.com/travel-news/cuba-after-castro-6780
If Cuba becomes to unstable, their gravy train of tourists from Canada and Europe will dry up. Once that happens, Cubans may not be so happy to keep American dollars off their shores.
Time will tell if little brother has what it takes to keep the oppression strong.
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Feb 20th 2008 @ 12:25PM
Walter Lippmann said...
He hasn't resigned at all. Nixon resigned. Lyndon Johnson and Alberto Gonzalez resigned.
Fidel has announced that he will not seek re-election to his posts as head of state and army. He said nothing about his position as head of the Cuban Communist Party.
Read Fidel's actual statement:
http://www.walterlippmann.com/wl-02-19-2008-fidel-castro-has-not-resigned.html
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