Well, I’ll be damned. He finally stepped down.
Not that this will change anything as his brother is effectively Castro 2.0. I find it interesting that the US media has missed that point entirely. Fidel Castro has not been running things in Cuba for some time now. Mind you from symbolic aspect this is something to witness indeed. My own personal thought on this is that he has been dead for a while now. Conspiracy nuts notwithstanding…has anyone seen Castro in months? A few articles in the Granma, state run newspaper, don’t quite qualify.
From CNN:
The resignation ends nearly a half-century of iron-fisted rule that inspired revolutionaries but frustrated 10 U.S. presidents.
Castro revealed his plans without notice by publishing a letter in the middle of the night in state-run newspaper Granma.
“I will not aspire to, nor will I accept the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief,” Castro wrote. “I wish only to fight as a soldier of ideas. … Perhaps my voice will be heard.”
President Bush said Castro’s decision ought to spark “a democratic transition” for Cuba.
If I were a betting man, I would not be taking the Bush line. His track record on predicting events hasn’t been all that good.
[tags]Fidel Castro, Castro, Castro Resigns, Fidel Castro Resigns[/tags]