Fidel Castro Announces Retirement
By Nicole Belle Monday Feb 18, 2008 8:02am
BBC:
Cuba'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. <!-- E SF -->
In December, Mr Castro indicated that he might possibly step down in favour of younger leaders, saying "my primary duty is not to cling to any position".
Soon afterwards, Raul Castro appeared to suggest that his older brother still had an important political role to play, saying the president still had full use of his mental faculties and was being consulted on all important policy issues.
Given his health these last couple of years, this should surprise no one. It will be interesting to note if the US-Cuba relations should manifestly change without Castro and how supportive the fairly influential Cuban-American community in Florida will be of making even a movement towards diplomatic relations with Cuba. Steve Clemons at The Washington Note looks at how the presidential candidates are likely to react.
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Nothing will happen untill he dies.
viva la fidel!!!!!!!!!
Let's be honest - considering all the attempts this county has made in trying to assassinate him for the last 50 years, how would relations between the U. S. and Cuba improve with a new leader who's familiar with this history.
WE has a long way to go in restoring trust between us and Cuba, period. I'm just glad he's leaving under his own steam and not by the hand of our government.
Get well soon Fidel!
as bush would say , restore democracy to cuba , so they can resume being amercas casino and whorehouses for the rich gringo pigs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anyone else think that Castro looks like Willie Nelson in that picture?
viva la willie
Barack Obama, as President can normalize relations with Cuba with or without Castro. It is consistant with what he has stated about being willing to negotiate and he owes none of his soul to the Cuban Exiles in Miami.
Little brother has been running the country for the last 18 months anyway, so nothing has really changed. Kinda like the USofA. The VP has been running this country for the last 7 years.
We like China, we don't like Cuba. Our foreign policy seems determined by where Richard Nixon vacationed 35 years ago.
Finally! Now I can sleep well knowing that this madman isn't threatening my Murican way of life!
that pic looks like it was taken by a webcam
The Cold War is long over. It's well past time to stop using the Cuban people as pawns in that game. Castro should still be put on trial for what he and Che did to people at La Cabaña prison.
Perhaps now some of this illogical insanity in our relations with the island will be ALLOWED to change by the anti-Castro fanatics who've helped warp our policy towards Cuba for the last 40+ years.
The double standard has always chapped my ass. Cuba gets sanctioned to the point of ridiculousness, while China which has an infinitely worse human rights record in Tibet, Darfur, and Burma (not to mention against their own people) gets their butt relentlessly kissed because they're our banker. Our Commie banker. And conservatives are fine with that.
I'm not.
lockean @ 7:
This anyone does.
I doubt much will change any time soon. His brother isn't going to make drastic changes before Fidel dies, just out of respect.
lockean @ 7:
He sure looks a heck of a lot more lucid.
I have been a fan of Fidel since he overthrew that loyal American ally ( of Meyer Lansky) Fulgencio Bautista, however ,under Fidel, the Justice system has never been particularly just. I would hope that anew regime leader would address this nagging and rather serious omission.
Fidel Castro Quits Cuba, To Challenge McCain for the GOP Nomination
Now, can I finally Smoke a cuban cigar?
This is the beginning of the end of the Cuban experiment. Once transition to a more moderate/rightwing government has occured, look for the same type of procedure that occured during the German reuniting; retransfer of land and realestate to the previous owners; mostly exiled Cubans and US companies in this case. The Cubans will be left with doing service to their new masters.
how long will it take for the Miami exiles, especially the rich ones to return to Cuba and re-jump start a Batista style rule again?
peaceful easy feeling @ 14:
Ok, but you might be hard pressed to find a judge willing to sit in a courtroom with an exhumed body.
It's almost to the point of hilarious how the US has done everything it can throw at Cuba to get rid of democracy, and still Cuba survives. Fidel rose to power because the people were sick and tired of their nation only doing what the US wanted, just as Iran did the same thing. The US has tried everything short of a massive invasion (although blowing up an airplane with US citizens on board was discussed to great length)....and still this tiny nation of 11 million treats it's citizens better than the US treats it's own considering the circumstances. The US cannot use Fidel as the excuse anymore. Wonder who will be the new "evil communist" in US gov't eyes.
I gotta say, that like Sinatra, Fidel Castro did it his way.
What does it show that Castro outlasted so many American Presidents many of whom tried to topple him and kill him?
Castro is a despotic swine but I find it funny the way that the USA vilifies anyone who doesn't bend over and take it in the ass from Uncle Sam while assasinating Democratically elected officials and installing they're own Dictators. The US Goverment has been the going on about Castro because he overthrew the puppets that Washington had in control of Cuba. This is the same reason they hate Iran, after the US and British goverment removed Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq they installed the Shaw who ruled for 26 years untill THE PEOPLE removed him from power.
The USA is the enemy of Freedom and Democracy.
ConcernedCanuck @ 24:
new zeeland fills the bill ,
john @ 25:
Better health care system.
Yeah! They can finally have freedom!*
*read McDonalds
sorry nonny were comeing to getcha!
Vive Fidel! Vive La Revolucion!!
I will pay my respects tonight by waching the brilliant "I Am Cuba"/ "Soy Cuba" dvd, then getting out my war surplus shortwave radio and listen to Radio Habana Cuba afterward. (Let's hope Arnie Coro hasn't resigned!)
Fidel was far from perfect and made many mistakes. But he did many great things, despite enormous obstacles and outside hostility, and was never the monster the United States government made him out to be and brainwashed the public.
Hasn't it been nice to know that when Hillary piously proclaims (read: lies) about "always having been about change," the fact is hubby Bill changed nothing about America-Cuba policy, and our girl Hillary was going to be "all about change" by rubber-stamping the Bush policy and Helms-Burton law. Ni-i-i-i-ice.
OK Obama. Good thing I'm not American, because you would have just lost my vote. That is without a doubt one of the stupidest things you have said up to this point in your Prez run. Future determined by Cubans? How the hell do you think Fidel got into power? So I guess that makes Obama EXACTLY the same as the rest of the candidates.........oh ya.......change, change, change, change
castro so long
there's a famous political cartoon, perhaps by Mike Luckovich, that shows in successive panels American Presidents starting with Kennedy, each uttering some portion of a declaration that they will topple Castro.
Castro retires today a hero in the eyes of his people and in the eyes of many around the world. We, with our ass of a president--elected TWICE!--are embarrassed by our judgment.
“Cuba’s future should be determined by the Cuban people and not by an anti-democratic successor regime."
What Obama actually meant was:
“Cuba’s future should not be determined by the Cuban people but by an anti-democratic sucessor regime put there by us."
"""Influential Cuban community in South Florida""". Really? Why? We don't go to 'Little Italy' for direction in dealing with Rome and no visits 'China Town' in order to set up a meet with Beijing..so why "influential Cubans" ? I live in North Florida and like most folks in this state we do not consider the South Florida Cuban to be a positive influence. I think presidential candidates might take a look at the "influential Cubans' and ask...where is the beef. Forget 'em.
One of my peeveyest of pet peeves ...
Hopefully one of our Democratic champions will point out what an idiotic and unfortunate policy the Helms Burton act is. THE policy that kept Castro in power lo these past 50 yrs.
When will we learn / really believe that our greatest weapon in our arsenal is not our Navy, Marines or nukes. It's our culture. There should have been a McDonalds on every corner of Havana since 1960. Castro would have been gone by '62.
Well that's what ya get when you let racists and segregationist write foreign policy.
P.S.
There's no con like a neo-con
I've been to Cuba three times in my life (lucky not to be American, eh?). The people there rightfully never blamed/have blamed Castro for the lack of material wealth. They blamed the US. Just like Venezuala, Iran, etc, etc,.....people see through the democracy facade. I hope that maybe, just maybe, now the US sponsored sanctions will be lifted. Let the Cuban exiles (read rich US stooges) stay in Florida. They did nothing to help Cuba. Democracy Bush? Let's see, Cuba has been ruled for decades by one man. The US has had elections where the choices are Corporate stooge 1 or 2. Who is the real democracy?
I always found it amusing -- not to mention dripping with irony -- whenever I heard wingnuts calling Fidel Castro a tyrant out of one side of their mouths, then insisting to us out of the other that wars and Patriot Acts and ducttape are required prescriptions because everybody knows a nation can never be truly free until it is secure from outside threats. Classic double-standard, as has always been the case with American policy toward Cuba, up-to-and-including the filthy imperial policy that keeps Guantanamo Bay securely in American hands.
Great for Castro he deserves a break. He has politically outsmarted and made every every administration look like whining childlike asses. You won my man!
Fidel outlasted them ALL.
ConcernedCanuck @ 32:
Travis @ 42:
It’s as if Obama doesn’t WANT to be the left alternative to Hillary. This is massively depressing.
(sorry for the double post)
The U.S. has vilified Castro for nearly half a century mainly because he wouldn't allow them to rape his little nation. The man was far from perfect, not unlike almost all of our Presidents. Hopefully now those crazy ex-Cubans living in South Florida can maybe finally shut up or take their asses back home.
Travis @ 43:
Sometimes all it takes is one statement to open a persons eyes. That one did it for me. Just another corporate stooge is all Obama is. Too bad. I actually was hoping he really DID represent a change. Go back to sleep Americans. And be sure to do your "democratic" duty and elect one of these slimeballs that will change, change, change. Ya right. Change the corporate money from a red wallet to a blue one.
Is Castro going to star in the Cuban version of Lost?
As in Mark Cuban?
heh... at first glance i thought that was willie nelson...
Here is the BBC World Video of this, in case any of you missed it this morning...
VIDEO
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=4be250ae-2e9c-47ae-a883-a4a68...
Does this mean that I can legally buy Cuban cigars?
I visit Cuba annually in January. I am Canadian.
When I heard the news this morning of Fidel's resignation I was somewhat dismayed by the thought that the US might lift the embargo and allow its citizens to visit Cuba. I'm afraid of this because I'm pretty sure it would drive prices up for travel to Cuba which would mean that the best value for dollar vacation in the Caribbean would be no more.
When they quoted Bush talking about what a great opportunity for democracy I nearly pissed myself laughing. What a moronic hypocrite. What the fuck does George Bush know about democracy? Why does he think any other country in the world would be jealous of the American way of life? He's one of the most corrupt bastards I've ever seen. A year or so ago I was telling my wife that I could imagine Bush coming up with some plan whereby he would get to remain president on into the future. Now I'm starting to read these same thoughts in the blogs here.
Also, 99.9% of the Cubans I've talked with do not feel that they are really suffering. Maybe they're careful not to say anything to foreigners but most of them appear to be genuine. We have had at least 1 Cuban ask us to sponsor him to come to Canada to work for a year but only to earn enough money to go back and purchase a house.
ConcernedCanuck @ 45:
You have national health care and we don't. You elected a tool for our fool so you don't have much credibility.
Obama removes the shadow of fear that Americans have been living with since the assassination of Robert Kennedy. You wouldn't understand that. And Obama will get my vote.
The US Corporations are just drooling over the idea of stealing the tobacco and sugar plantations from the Cubans all in the name of Democracy and Freedom.
Cats r Flyfishn @ 51:
Ya ok. Keep drinking the blue koolaid, instead of the red koolaid. Oh and I never voted for Harper, and neither did a majority of Canadians. Changes nothing. We look to our American friends to show us what real political corruption is all about, and you never disappoint. Go ahead. Use that only tool you have in your fake democracy, and vote for the lesser of evils. Don't forget. Change, change, change.
Barack Obama's statement: "Today should mark the end of a dark era in Cuba's history. Fidel Castro's stepping down is an essential first step, but it is sadly insufficient in bringing freedom to Cuba.
"Cuba's future should be determined by the Cuban people and not by an anti-democratic successor regime. The prompt release of all prisoners of conscience wrongly jailed for standing up for the basic freedoms too long denied to the Cuban people would mark an important break with the past. It's time for these heroes to be released.
"If the Cuban leadership begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change, the United States must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalize relations and to ease the embargo of the last five decades. The freedom of the Cuban people is a cause that should bring the Americans together."
Lifting the embargo would be a good thing. You're only concern is money and that it will cost more money to vacation in Cuba. Yeah, you must love the boy Bush.
CC@53 - You just don't get it, do you?
Since you can't vote here, your opinions are meaningless. Explain to me how Harper won the election if the majority of Canadians didn't vote for him? Did your Supreme Court appoint him like the US Supreme Court appointed the boy Bush?
REGIME CHANGE
JDAM pwnage!!
Who's number 1?
We can buy goods made in Viet Nam at Home Depot, but we can't buy Cuban cigars! Where is the sense in that?
Youth prevails in Cuba. Viva Raul! Go kid go!
According to Perez Hilton, Castro's been dead for years. This is news.
Speaking of freedom. I am going to book a trip for 3 to Cuba for this time next year. Us Canucks can do that and you Yanks can't. Kinda says it all.
As far as Harper goes well he is a tool for sure. Concerning how he got elected I would suggest you wiki our last election and see how it played out.
May true freedom come to my American neighbours asap. Obama or Hillary will be a step in the right direction. We love you folks and we just want to see you follow your great constitution for a change.
ConcernedCanuck@53 Let me understand you Canuck. Because of a statement by Obama you don't care for he won't get your nonexistent vote? I've been voting since 1988 and I have never voted for a candidate who I agreed with all of his/her positions. Obama simply has way less negatives than any of the contenders. Just take your hockey puck and go home.
That's a great picture of Castro. He looks satisfied, and he should be. Fortunately his ideals are finally coming to fruition in Central and South America. Capitalism is on it's last legs. Soon we may be trading roles with the cuban people.
Too bad about Obama. I thought for a moment I might actually vote for him. It's clear he is a pandering political whore, just like McCain.
Wouldn't you think now was a good time for some kind of plan to incite the Cubans to have a "Berlin Wall" type of moment?
Where is that plan?
When Castro took ill, Cuba should have been bombarded with propaganda loaded with slogans such as "The time is near", "Freedom is coming", "rise up and be free".
g*d bless.
With freedom and human rights Cuba will finally fall in line with other central american democracies under the auspicious patronage of freedom country #1. After the free market reforms courtesy of america numero uno think tanks it is safe to assume life expectancy will fall about 10-15 years, literacy rates will adjust downward to the regional golden average of 50-70%. Plus, commmunist Cuba has way too many doctors, that ain't no free market. Slash the number of doctors by 80% to catch up with the pro-western, pro-freedom neighborhood, that's to only way Cuba will maintain the competitive edge in the Free world...
Left&Left @ 61:
Uh huh. Exactly like I said. Vote for the lesser of the evils. You just agreed with me. Take my puck and go home? Take yer tanks and go home. I don't understand American anger at the world. If anything you people are just goddamn lucky the entire globe hasn't invaded and killed off your entire political system. Your government has been raping and pillaging nations for decades while you all sat idly by, eating your Big Macs and playing your video games that were made in Asia. And finally, SOME of you wake up and realize..Holy crap, our gov't is crap, and then get mad at the world like it's our fault. Go back to sleep and let the world know when you are finally tired of allowing your government to kill and steal.
Left&Left @ 61:
Nice attitude, I'm Canadian and ConcernedCanuck@53 shares my feeling's about your political system as well as our own up here. But I thank holy christ every day that I don't live in the USA. Besides Universal Healthcare we also have the benifit of a political system that, although appoints asswipes like Harper once in a while, is based on the British model and would never let our leaders get away with the mindblowing shit that goes on in the Bush Administration. Just look at Tony Blair. I lived in Scotland when he was elected and people we're cheering in the street's. But he hitched his wagon to Captain Codpiece and the British public handed him his ass.
You ask any Canadian and they will tell you that they have pride in their country but we don't drink the political kool-aid when we know we're getting fucked in the ass. Bush gets away, literally, with murder because he calls people unpatriotic when they question his corrupt Administration for all of the evil shit they have done. That wouldn't wash here for one fucking second and we'd have Harpers head on a pike if he tried to pull the same shit as The Chimp. The problem is that you are all so blinded by the myth of what America is instead of seeing it's true nature. A politician just has to wave the flag or a bible and people will drop to they're knee's instead of using they're common sense.
Your political system is the problem and needs a major overhaul but that won't happen because the corporations would lose control. Republicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin and all they care about it money, power and serving the richest 1%. It's completely fucked that you have that stoopid two tier system that says the public's vote means nothing because the Delegete's and Super-delegets are the ones that pick who wins. HOW THE FUCK IS THAT DEMOCRATIC?
Cats r Flyfishn @ 55:
Harper won with less than 35% of the popular vote. You don't grasp that, cuz your elections are stolen I guess. My opinions are far from meaningless and only a near-sighted ignoramus would consider that to even be worth typing. EVERYONE you select and EVERYTHING you do, affects the entire world. Just doesn't affect you, because hey, you gots McD's and your made in Japan games, and that nice lil' SUV in the driveway. Perhaps ONCE in your lives, Americans should actually take their fingers out of their damn ears and LISTEN to others in the world. You know, the ones your gov't continues to fuck over. You know, like Cubans. Iraqis. Afghans. Canadians. South Americans. Europeans. You know, the people you told to go to hell as Bush and Powell were lying, and everyone knew it?
Vuntz I had a kendy store
Bizniss vas so bad
I asked mein vife vat to do
And dis is vat she said:
Take yourself some kerosene
Pour it on de floor
Take a match
Give a scratch
No more kendy store…HEY!
fwffavvg @ 66:
Every four years we hear the exact same thing from the US electorate. This time it's different. This time there will be change. This time we will make sure the right people are in power. This time, this time, this time........ad nauseum. Nothing changes. Oh you get a Prez with a D beside his/or her name instead of an R. Yep there's some change for you. Oh you say, change comes slowly from the inside. Uh huh. And how many years has that been working out? Sigh. But that's OK. Tell the world to piss off and mind their own business (once again) and we will clean up the shit your elected leaders shovel (once again)......do you not ever get tired of it?
NOW can the US stop this destructive nonsense of embargo?
Here's the money line from Bush.
So, only the Bush brothers can fix elections?
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
I understand his appeal to some of you as far as his opposition to the US government, but let's keep in mind that communism is bad.
Nice to see some good Canada bashing going on here.
For the people that are forgivably ignorant of the Canadian political system, the only people that elected Harper were the people of Calgary southwest (Harper's riding) and conservative party delegates. There are approximately 80000 electors in that region of Calgary (Thanks wikipedia).
Canada runs on the party system so if the delegates elect him to lead his party, and his party wins the election, he has the job. We have no presidential elections so you can't just go and criticize someone for electing Harper.
The Conservatives got put in power with something like 35% of the vote because some Liberals stole some money and got caught. For those of you that already know this, "Good on you! eh?"
On the Cuba note, I'd like to second the opinion that I hope the US remains at odds with them. It's given Canada a chance to actually build a relationship with Cuba, as evidenced by the foreign aid, tourism industry etc
If Cuba cleans up a bit on the human rights front, they should be able to pursue their own political destiny without outside interference.
ConcernedCanuck @ 65:
Maybe to you hockey boy I should vote for the GREATER of two evils. Thanks for the history lesson on the aggressive imperialism that the U.S. has waged on weaker countries. I agree that this nation's global history is horrible. That is why I believe we must do something radical even if it may ultimately fail. To me Obama appears to have the best potential for a new direction. I may be wrong about him but I certainly feel McCain and Hillary offer NO change at all. One more thing dope, I work out 6 days a week and I don't eat junk food or play video games. So generalize with another candidate. I will have a few beers though. I developed this practice hanging out in Toronto's bars a few years ago and seeing the selection of moose--- I mean women to chose from up there
From the looks of him he's almost at the age to be a Republican in the U.S. He'll probably retire to Miami and start bitching about his taxes.
bobaloo @ 72:
And capitalism is perfect!
United Fruit Company owned 98% of that island before the Granma landed. Batista was a genuinely corrupt tyrant and thug. The Cuban people were overwhelmingly illiterate and only the elite privileged few had access to health care. That's all changed. They are a poor people, yes, but educated and healthy. Sadly, the United States has engaged in a Cold War with them for fifty years, and the people in both nations have been brainwashed. America loves a boogeyman as much as the next guy, and maybe more than the next guy.
Left&Left @ 74:
Assuming Canadians just happen to have hockey pucks qualifies as a pretty annoying generalization. I have about 30 in my garage but NONE ON MY PERSON DAMNIT!!!
leo drongo @ 76:
China welcomes you!
Seriously, I didn't say capitalism and free markets were perfect. But I'd rather do without bread lines and purges, thanks.
RD @ 77:
Thirty hockey pucks in your garage? How do you have room for all your guns and Bibles?
Oh wait, that's us
I was an exchange student in Cuba. I met many bright young educated students at University of Havana who were from Haiti, Trindad, Dominican Republic -- all democratic nations -- and to a man and woman, they all claimed Cuba was not pefect by a long stretch, but that it was miles ahead of their homelands as far as education, medical care and security. Yeah, sure, they were all brainwashed communists. But I think there was more than a small element of truth in what they were saying.
bobaloo @ 78:
China rolls out the mat for everybody. Even U.S. bankers and Wall Street super-corporations. It's a capitalist fact. When it comes to United States foreign policy, it's also a capitalist double-standard.
Rusty Shackleford @ 79:
How do you guys still have garages for your guns and bibles? I thought the banks foreclosed everyone down there?
Cats r Flyfishn @ 55:
Wait a minute - since he can't vote here, his opinion is meaningless??!! That's a dumb statement. His opinion is just as valid as anyone else's regardless of nationality.
RD @ 82:
The garage is ALL I have.