FIDEL Castro has resigned, half a century after he seized power in Cuba with an armed revolution. Castro, 81, said in a statement to the country that he would not seek a new presidential term when the National Assembly meets on February 24. "To my dear compatriots, who gave me the immense honour in recent days of electing me a member of parliament ... I communicate to you that I will not aspire to or accept - I repeat not aspire to or accept - the positions of President of Council of State and Commander in Chief," Castro said in the statement published on the website of the Communist Party's Granma newspaper. The National Assembly or legislature is expected to nominate his brother and designated successor Raul Castro as president in place of Castro, who has not appeared in public for almost 19 months after being stricken by an undisclosed illness. His retirement drew the curtain on a political career that spanned the Cold War and survived US enmity, CIA assassination attempts and the demise of Soviet Communism. A charismatic leader famous for his long speeches delivered in his green military fatigues, Castro is admired in the Third World for standing up to the United States but considered by his opponents a tyrant who suppressed freedom. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23241399-5001021,00.html
Raul Castro is taking over. The sanctions wouldn't end until Cuba is free and they return American assests that they nationalized. Cuba Libre!
USA can afford Cuba trade embargo, the effects aren't large, but doing the same to the 4th largest economy in the world will be economical suicide. I guess they are being practical.
I know. I wish they'd be practical in reverse as well. <edit> The embargo mostly effects the general population of Cuba, not so much the government and its leaders. Most of the people that stayed after the revolution were the poorer people. Some day, the wealthy people living in the US will return, buy up much of the property and the poorer people will not likely be better off. It's those people that I'm concerned about; not the wealthy people that may have lost some property after the revolution.
perhaps they'll stay and declare florida's independence, and the us govt will support them as they do with Kosovo
That would be pretty funny to watch. Especially with Florida's voting problems, they wouldn't have to rig the votes to keep one in power for ever, just have one never-ending lawsuit... With people like guru and A/c there to help count, it would take a century to count one election.
cool maybe now all the Cubans in south Florida will go back there , instead of sitting in miami waving Cuban flags and bitching
its a shame that this won't really do anything...I think his bro is just as bad. On the upside...if Hillary loses the nomination, she could always go run cuba...after all, fidel does need a wife and she wouldn't have to worry about fixing healthcare.
That won't open because USA indicated their policy towards Cuba remains the same, no matter how he opened up economically, there is still a trade embargo on.