Fidel Castro Steps Down
Original post
Posted by animal, 19.02.2008 - 16:36
Quote:
Fidel Castro resigns as Cuba's president By ANITA SNOW, Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago
HAVANA - An ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba's president Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying he will not accept a new term when parliament meets Sunday.
The end of Castro's rule ? the longest in the world for a head of government ? frees his 76-year-old brother Raul to implement reforms he has hinted at since taking over as acting president when Fidel Castro fell ill in July 2006. President Bush said he hopes the resignation signals the beginning of a democratic transition.
"My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath," Castro wrote in a letter published Tuesday in the online edition of the Communist Party daily Granma. But, he wrote, "it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer."
In the pre-dawn hours, most Cubans were unaware of Castro's message. Havana's streets were quiet, and there was no movement at several party-run neighborhood watch groups in Old Havana. It wasn't until 5 a.m., several hours after Castro's message was posted on the internet, that official radio began reading the missive to early risers.
Castro temporarily ceded his powers to his brother on July 31, 2006, when he announced that he had undergone intestinal surgery. Since then, the elder Castro has not been seen in public, appearing only sporadically in official photographs and videotapes and publishing dense essays about mostly international themes as his younger brother has consolidated his rule.
There had been widespread speculation about whether Castro would continue as president when the new National Assembly meets Sunday to pick the country's top leadership. Castro has been Cuba's unchallenged leader since 1959 ? monarchs excepted, he was the world's longest ruling head of state.
Castro said Cuban officials had wanted him to remain in power after his surgery.
"It was an uncomfortable situation for me vis-a-vis an adversary that had done everything possible to get rid of me, and I felt reluctant to comply," he said in a reference to the United States.
Castro remains a member of parliament and is likely to be elected to the 31-member Council of State on Sunday, though he will no longer be its president. Raul Castro's wife, Vilma Espin, maintained her council seat until her death last year even though she was too sick to attend meetings for many months.
The resignation opens the path for Raul Castro's succession to the presidency, and the full autonomy he has lacked in leading a caretaker government. The younger Castro has raised expectations among Cubans for modest economic and other reforms, stating last year that the country requires unspecified "structural changes" and acknowledging that government wages that average about $19 (euro13) a month do not satisfy basic needs.
As first vice president of Cuba's Council of State, Raul Castro was his brother's constitutionally designated successor and appears to be a shoo-in for the presidential post when the council meets Sunday. More uncertain is who will be chosen as Raul's new successor, although 56-year-old council Vice President Carlos Lage, who is Cuba's de facto prime minister, is a strong possibility.
Bush, traveling in Rwanda, pledged to "help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty."
"The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy," he said. "Eventually, this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections ? and I mean free, and I mean fair ? not these kind of staged elections that the Castro brothers try to foist off as true democracy."
The United States built a detailed plan in 2005 for American assistance to ensure a democratic transition on the island of 11.2 million people after Castro's death. But Cuban officials have insisted that the island's socialist political and economic systems will outlive Castro.
"The adversary to be defeated is extremely strong," Castro wrote Tuesday. "However, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a century."
Castro rose to power on New Year's Day 1959 and reshaped Cuba into a communist state 90 miles from U.S. shores. The fiery guerrilla leader survived assassination attempts, a CIA-backed invasion and a missile crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Ten U.S. administrations tried to topple him, most famously in the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961.
His ironclad rule ensured Cuba remained communist long after the breakup of the Soviet Union and the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe.
Castro's supporters admired his ability to provide a high level of health care and education for citizens while remaining fully independent of the United States. His detractors called him a dictator whose totalitarian government systematically denied individual freedoms and civil liberties such as speech, movement and assembly.
The United States was the first country to recognize Castro's government, but the countries soon clashed as Castro seized American property and invited Soviet aid.
On April 16, 1961, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist. A day later, he defeated the CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion. The United States squeezed Cuba's economy and the CIA plotted to kill Castro. Hostility reached its peak with the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
The collapse of the Soviet Union sent Cuba into economic crisis, but the economy recovered in the late 1990s with a tourism boom.
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by EddieGunner on 15.08.2008 at 01:04 Like Hellspawn said... but took away ALL liberties and freedom and justice and saw to it that they ALL (except for party members) lived in dire poverty.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Geist on 06.02.2009 at 17:27 A simple   will suffice.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025  |
Written by Geist on 06.02.2009 at 17:27 Man thets what I all tike talk Im 100% Batista I hate Castro and Cuban comunism, its overated, moust of all east Europians worship Cuba, Che Guevera ''a hero, revoltinar'' but does anybody knows how many people he exicuted, all anti Castro , Babtista made mistace when he didnt killed Castro when he wa sin jail, he realise him and after time we know what hepen Sometimes comunismus fucked all eas europain mind more how I thougt Look how looks Havana in Babtista, Americam tourists was there Hemingay lived there, now ... shotwhole, poor peolpe, no freedom of speech and no life
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Geist Posts: 6783  |
It isnt about being 100% Batista or 100% Castro, they're both bad, in this case Batista just happened to be the lesser of two evils. However way you put it Communism doesnt work, it just looks good on paper.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Written by Geist on 07.02.2009 at 14:38 Being Babtista its attitude like being chrsitian black metal band (if you know what I mean whit it)
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Fhuesc Posts: 1328  |
Written by Geist on 06.02.2009 at 17:27 In the 50th after the WW2 almost all economies boomed, if by boomed you mean, people produced more and earn less, useless you were a bourgeois. That was a direct consequence of the second and current stage of our current socio-political-economic system, neoliberal capitalism. You know Mexico and all Latin America, had that boom, and let me ask you do you consider any country of LA a current economical potency?. In the case Cuba would end up the way of Tahiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, etc, all those unlucky islands were revolution didn't succeed, and became the direct dump of USA, except Bahamas and Puerto Rico, the first became the ultra luxury water theme park, and the second, the strategic military operation base. Written by Geist on 06.02.2009 at 17:27 The first statement, i think it has to due with something insignificant called "Economic Embargo", and if i my memory is not wrong, i think this is a measure applied by the USA government. But maybe i'm wrong and it all was Castro's fault. To the second statement...  ... what can i say, you are right!, the revolution was an evil scheme of Castro so he could take the power, cuz you know, he is an evil genius just like Lex Luthor or the Joker, and Castro's only goal in live is/was submerge people in misery, why?, cuz he is an evil genius!!!
---- Hasta la victoria, siempre! Until victory, always!
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| EddieGunner Valkoinen kuolem Posts: 2239  |
Written by Geist on 06.02.2009 at 17:27 well those are words of man who come's from USA , the yountry which put all embargo's and shit's to cuba, USA amde cuba a poore country, cause Fidel kicked ass to USA friend Batista, americans' could easy wash money down there when he was thr but anymore with fidel...... Castro did more for cuba then Bush for USA,
---- On pirun vaikea selvitä hengissä hautaan saakka It is damn difficult to stay alive till the grave Erno Paasilinna :devil:
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Written by EddieGunner on 08.02.2009 at 11:30
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Gigginova Account deleted |
Gigginova
Account deleted
Did anyone hear about how a Bahamian Ex-Member Of Parliament got jailed for gay sex with a Cuban boy recently? I hear it was on American news too. The local papers aren't saying who, but everyone I know, thinks it's Ron Pinder. And just the other week, Pleasant Bridewater was charged with extortion against John Travolta. The two belong to the same party, the opposite one to whom I vote for, so it's sorta encouraging to watch them fall apart as a party  .
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| Italics Posts: 294 |
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| Galar Wicked Mung Posts: 598  |
Aslong as his brother is in power, nothing is going to change. Good luck Cuba...
---- YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID, SUCK A DICK
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| Fhuesc Posts: 1328 |
Written by Galar on 28.02.2009 at 20:00 As long as Obama is in power, nothing is going to chance, Good luck world...
---- Hasta la victoria, siempre! Until victory, always!
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Fhuesc on 01.03.2009 at 04:32 Obama is better for the world than Fidel or his borther or Chavez will ever be. Please keep on being blinded by your fanboyism concerning Cuba. Fidel is actually one of the most despotic leaders ever in the world. Okay so he did bring schooling and health care to his people but he took away ALL of their liberties, trying to turn them into a mindless flock of sheep. And thank god he still hasn't succeeded. Freedom of speech? Freedom of information? All things which the Cubans under Fidel have never ever experienced. PLease keep on living with your mindless anti-American or other more free world than Cuba bashing. Hopefully for you you will never experience a dictatorship such as Fidel's.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Fhuesc Posts: 1328 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.03.2009 at 04:55 I see what you are trying to do here, you want to attack me with the fanboyism speech. Very cleaver Mister Marcel. I want you to answer me this, do you think you are free?. Most likely the answer it's yes, so let me ask you another question, do you think that 95% of world's population has the "freedom" that you, and most us (ME users) enjoy?, the answer is no, cuz they/we are waged slavery, and the only choices we have are starved to dead or sell our work force for almost nothing, i don't see the freedom that you are talking. Do you know what capitalism had to do to avoid the socialist revolution during the 60-80's?, it kill thousands of revolutionaries and innocent people in the most cruel way. So don't tell me about the wonderful freedom of speech that we have.
---- Hasta la victoria, siempre! Until victory, always!
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| Uller Posts: 498  |
My English is not good enough for this kind of discussion because i cant fully say what i want, but im curious to about this "freedom" that we have in a capitalist system, and what kind of freedom of speech or freedom of information do we have?? because if i give a speech about marxism for a group of workers, im going to be in jail for sure, and freedom of information ok!! tomorrow im going to the "United fruit Co. also known as Chiquita Fruit Company" and with my freedom im going to ask where did they get their fruits and their big capitals, and how much they pay to the latin american workers that cultivate this fruits, and what the owner prefers, a brand new Porsche or the lives o 10 workers in costa rica. Or with this freedom of information i should be watching saturday nigh live and MTV, poor cubans, they dont have this great information... Or what kind of freedom are we talking about??? A worker in cuba cant buy a playstation 3..... but in any other country a worker cant buy a playstation 3. But the worker in cuba eats, goes to school, lives in a house, his work isnt for a rich man, its for the rest of the people. (playstation 3 is just an example, you can exchange it for anything not basic and its the same)
---- 
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| Autistic.Pagan Posts: 454  |
Of all the 364 other possible options, of any other day in the entire year, he fucking died on BLACK FRIDAY ......... Arguably.The.Most.Capitalist.Most.Consumerist.Day.Of.The.Year ........That was the day he croaked ROFL! Unholy shit that is gold! 
---- What is the difference between the man who fools you from the pulpit, and the other man who fools you from the platform? Both of them seek to obtain power over you - To rule your mind, control your property interests or labor power.
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| Maco Pvt Funderground Posts: 3593  |
Better dead than red we say here.
---- Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Written by Maco on 27.12.2018 at 05:34 Same here  Specially that origins of red sXXX are stronger, and Europe and US is sleeping and dont re act after Georgia!
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Maduro steps down? Killed buy military, civil war? US interference? ''wagner'' is there, what they can do? last lefties in S America is falling apart, you cant rebel there against the USA and W World, same Africa can not. USSR dont exist and Russia hasno money to help all red clowns anymore, so we will see. I hope maduro goes away live or dead I dont care, but I want see regime changes there. I like new Brazil president he has strong voice again communism there in that continent.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Karlabos Posts: 5736  |
Written by Bad English on 06.02.2019 at 02:11 Cheers. I also like the new president =] Too bad Maduro's alternative is also from a socialist party... I bet he's gonna become Maduro 2
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Starvynth i c deaf people Staff Posts: 3168  |
Written by [user id=172292] on 15.04.2019 at 18:01 Agreed, that's an unbeatable combination. My all time favorite's probably 'The Magnificent Seven' from 1960.
---- signatures = SPAM
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