Fidel Castro Has Resigned!

Fidel Castro Has Resigned!

In a statement issued to a Cuban newspaper he said he would not be returning to the Presidency.

Castro has not been seen in public for 18 months since he underwent emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006.!

(visit the link for the full news article)

Fidel Castro has resigned as president of Cuba, according to a statement in state-run newspaper Granma

Sky News is now reporting! Sky News



[edit on 19-2-2008 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

This is breaking news on CNN.com now. They are sayng local papers claim Castro has resigned.

Castro's brother Raul is his designated successor, but many observers believe Cuba's communist state will not outlive the man who has divided international opinion for almost half a century.

Born into a wealthy landowning family, he turned to Marxism because of the poverty he saw around him in Cuba.

He came to international prominence in 1959 when, along with Che Guevara, he led the uprising which overthrew the corrupt government of President Fulgencio Batista, who had turned Cuba into a decadent playground for America's rich.

Promising to give the land back to the people, he received the backing of the Soviet Union, driving a wedge between Cuba and the US that has never been removed.

In April 1961 the US tried to topple the Castro government by recruiting a private army of Cuban exiles to invade the island.

At the Bay of Pigs, Cuban troops repulsed the invaders, killing many and capturing 1,000.

As money flowed from the Kremlin the Caribbean island became a cold war battleground.

But it was not just cash that headed west to Cuba from the Soviet Union.

In 1962 US reconnaissance planes discovered Soviet missiles on their way to sites in Cuba and the world stood on the brink of an apocalyptic nuclear war.

It was Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev who blinked first, turning his weapon-laden ships around.

The Cuban missile crisis confirmed Castro, in American eyes, as the enemy in their own back yard.

The CIA tried to assassinate him on many occasions - one plan involved filling his much-loved cigars with explosives.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1980s meant the financial plug was pulled on Castro.

Still blockaded by the US, conditions in Cuba deteriorated, with food and fuel shortages and an economy in ruins.

Soon thousands of Cubans were fleeing to Florida in makeshift rafts, hoping for a better life in the arms of Castro's arch-enemy.

He did however bring about real change in Cuba with free health care for all and one of the highest literacy rates in the world. And his ability to needle the Americans has never diminished.

AAC


(visit the link for the full news article)





[edit on 19-2-2008 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

I just saw that here on the Australian news. Probably not too many more details to come out of it, besides his brother taking over.

Farewell comrade Castro

reply to post by mattguy404

"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.

I am wondering the implications of this. There are always implications.

AAC

[edit on 19-2-2008 by AnAbsoluteCreation]

So castro resigned. However, this has no immediate effect to anybody or anyone. The guy was just a delusional dictator with nothing to show for himself but military fatigues. But I'm glad he decided to say goodbye, he has not too much time to live. Maybe he should take a vacation in Florida.

My understanding is that his brother will be no upgrade. I guess it is about time they make it official though, I don't think he has much time left as it is.

reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation


True that, the end of communism in Cuba maybe? Would America have anything to with that though, I'm not quite sure; the White House's press secretary didn't even know what the Cuban Missile Crisis was

[edit on 19-2-2008 by mattguy404]

End of the cult of the individual there at least.

Lucky to retire and perhaps some day die in his own bed.

reply to post by sy.gunson


No matter how you slice it, it is a true testament to his resilience that he completed his unique tenure. Bravo.

AAC

reply to post by jedimiller



and

reply to post by sy.gunson


so whens the delusional dictator and leader of the cult of the individual in washington going to resign.

I'd expect Chavez to have a strong hand in the future political landscape over there, although I'm sure the CIA will also be busy with some plot. There has been plenty of time for the jackals to prepare for this meal.

"I just want to carry on fighting like a soldier of ideas," he added. "I will continue writing under the title, Reflections of Comrade Fidel."

"I will be one more weapon in the arsenal that you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I will be careful."
-Fidel Castro-


Fidel Castro is a robot. Spread the word.

Resigned?

I would be surprised if he was actually still alive.

Nobody saw him for real for 18 months.

Now it is hard to belive that, if you see the guy only on tv.

just a pity his removal didn't seem him strung up from a lampost and shot

reply to post by Souljah

I completely agree. Dictators do NOT RESIGN at any point in their lives.
I think he's been dead and buried for awhile and is now facing consequences in HELL and furthermore, i am not convinced his brother Raul is up to any more crap- he's only 5 years younger than his brother.

They dont know what to do in Cuba because the repatriated Cubans will take matters into their own hands and start going back to have a hand in liberating the island by the droves. This is a touchy situation and things are going to get much worse before they get better.

Someone said give him credit for sticking it out for 50 years. sure, ok. The only reason he survived is because nobody was too interested in him and left him alone.

DING DONG THE WARLOCK IS DEAD!!!! There is justice- if he isnt dead now, he soon will be! I am delighted that SOB is out of there and hopefully 6 feet under!
I am celebrating today!


Cubanos que dejaron,
su lindo Malecon,
quisiera preguntarles,
a donde fue el son.

El son se fue de Cuba,
llenando de trizteza, se ha hido el manicero y tambien la bayamesa..
Si pasas por mi Habana, no oiras risa Cubana,
Porque el son se fue de ahi.........


Maybe laughter will retun to Cuba someday after all.

This will only leave a political void that the CIA would have no problem exploiting, and installing their own dictatorship, US run of course.

To continue DG's Oz comparison. It's like the Wicked Witch of the East dying, and her land being taken over by the Wicked Witch of the West disguised as Glenda the Good Witch.

Good for him, good job - kept it running this long.

but then yeah I kind of think they got something in the works now, the US probably already carried out what ever plan they got going for cuba, if his brother is in power now, i don't think it would be for too long at all.

I bet Michael Moore is pissed. Now he's going to have to work up a new rapport with brother Castro if he desires anymore favorable fact manipulation for his movies.

reply to post by Rasobasi420
Well, it may surprise you to know i',m not dilussional, and there are going to be lots of problems ahead- i'm not blind, i did not mean everything is going to be ok now. Surprise!!!
I am, however, very happy that THAT dictator, who caused so much grief to my family and millions of others, will no longer be in power.
His departure, death or demise, is FREAKING GOOD NEWS and i know why i say it.
What now? for all i know i could become worse under the hands of the USA, which will be the ultimate goal for that prime piece of real estate. Most of us arent stupid. Bush is already salivating, and much as i hate Bush and his corporate giants, i hate FIDEL CASTRO MORE.

One thing is for sure, this will be measured and weighed as to what to do, because REPUBLICANS do not want to lose the Bushloving Republican Cubans residing in Miami and all over the states, SO, i dont know how it will be approached by this government- Do they recreate paradise in Cuba and lose all the Republican-voting Cuban morons (which is what they are)?? Or what to they do??? This isnt going to be any easy task for this government.

He he he....And just in time for Hillary.

Lots of fun ahead, folks!

Oh where is Don when you need him? The ultimate Cuban scholar.

I might add that the people in Cuba right now are American haters, so it would not behoove anyone to bring them here- lest we have more potential for those bad people, what do we call them now, oh yea, TERRORISTS.

Touchy, very touchy.

Resigned, huh? When was the last time he was seen in public live? Been a while. Personally? IMHO, he's been dead for rather a long while. Another opinion? Good riddance. See ya.

I'll agree with DG, as well, I don't think little brother is up to it. I would venture to guess that he'll be joining his brother in "retirement" shortly. Fidel, he ain't.