Breaking News:
Fidel Castro announces retirementCuba’s ailing leader Fidel Castro has announced he will not return to the presidency, in a letter published by official Communist Party paper, Granma. “I neither will aspire to, nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief,” he wrote in the letter. Mr Castro handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raul, in July 2006 when he underwent intestinal surgery. The 81-year-old has ruled Cuba since leading a communist revolution in 1959. In December, Mr Castro indicated that he could possibly step down in favour of a younger generation.
While Florida is surely celebrating, the move means little in reality as Castro hasn’t been seen in since last July. Unfortunately for the Cuban people, the circumstances that led to the transfer of power were about as favorable towards authoritarianism as could be. Will this help ease the US embargo if Castro is out? And his brother is 76, how much more time does he have? Do any Cuban hands known the next in line after that?
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COMMENTS / 3 COMMENTS
Jesus Reyes added these pithy words on 19 Feb 08 at 10:21 amVice President Carlos Lage (57) or National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon (71) who are both capable and running the country as much as Raul. All three are reformers potentially in the direction of Gorbachev or Deng but Washington is locked down by Miami. Fidel has not left a power vacuum. The immediate post-Fidel moment has very nearly come and gone. Other options are available. Cuba is in the midst of an oil boom with US companies cut out of the deal. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the North Cuba Basin has potential reserves of between 4.6 and 9.3 billion barrels of crude. There is no “democratic” revolution in the works. The Cuban people are not interested in the Washington Consensus “all for us, nothing for you” model, but then, who is anymore? Now that Putin has been screwed on Kosovo, who knows of the possibilities.
Michael added these pithy words on 19 Feb 08 at 7:14 pmOn the other hand, Jesus, it could be very interesting to watch what happens if Washington finally started ignoring Miami and treated Cuba like an equal.
Jesus Reyes added these pithy words on 19 Feb 08 at 11:34 pmThat would be interesting. I think that Carlos Lage has the potential of being liberal. There are stories of Cuban/Floridians going to Cuba and looking up where grandpa used to live and of course the homestead has been subdivided and 16 families are living there. Those 16 families get extraordinarily defensive. Beyond that, I think Cuba could unwind pretty quick. I dont think it would go past the Venezuelan model, but despite the propaganda, Venezuela is pretty liberal – liberal as in theoretically speaking – Deng, etc.
