Fidel Castro tells Cubans their chains haven’t been cut yet, but today there is hope

Still under doctors’ care a day after surgery, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro yesterday reportedly said his health is “stable,” but “I cannot make up positive news.”

Well, since when can’t the leader of a totalitarian police state make up positive news? Since that operation for “intestinal bleeding”? Something serious is up.

“As for my spirits, I feel perfectly fine,” the tyrant said, according to a statement read on Cuban Communist-run television.

Everyone work. Castro called on the Cuban people to remain calm and continue their regular business, which I guess means don’t try to overthrow the government while I’m sick and don’t miss work on the Castro slave plantation.

“The country is prepared for its defense,” Communist TV said for Castro. “Everyone needs to struggle, and work.”

Translation: I’ve paid the police and army enough to kill you if you make a move for the National Assembly Building.

Guards at the gates. Castro’s goofy brother, Raul, has been placed in charge of the dictatorship while Castro’s health is evaluated. Castro’s longtime boot-licking lackey Ricardo Alarcon, the “parliament speaker,” is keeping an eye out for trouble, too.

The situation is reminiscent of the novel “Havana Bay,” in which a safe and healthy Castro lures everyone to think he’s in trouble just to see who would jump first to seize the government. (Then Castro drops the ax.)

But this chain of events feels different. I think Castro is dying, and he’ll be lucky to last a year.

View from the Malecon. On the Malecon, Havana’s seawall, Cubans are looking north this morning and thinking about how much closer they suddenly are to their cousins in America. They’re also looking at themselves with new hope.

They’re wondering how soon their families can reunite, and how soon they’ll be free. Yes, something serious is up.

Frank Warner

Comments

[George]

If he dies, his brother will still be in charge. Do you expect an uprising?

[Frank Warner]

Oh yes. The only reason the Cubans didn't rise up after the Soviet Union fell was that it didn't make sense to risk lives when Fidel was so old he'd be gone soon anyway.

Well, now Fidel is almost gone, and when it's clear he is gone, the jig is up. No one is going to take Raul seriously for more than a month.

Will anyone else want to die for Castro's mistake?

[George]

Brian Latell disagrees with you.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060802/2castro.htm