Castro resigns as Cuban president

[Edelweiss]

HAVANA (AFP) - Fidel Castro resigned Tuesday as president and commander in chief of Cuba, the online official press said.

Source (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080219/ts_afp/cubacastroresign_080219073108)

[Dominicana_1965]

He said that he will continue writing reflections.

The message.

Dear compatriots:
Last Friday, February 15, I promised you that in my next reflection I would deal with an issue of interest to many compatriots. Thus, this now is rather a message.

The moment has come to nominate and elect the State Council, its President, its Vice-Presidents and Secretary.
For many years I have occupied the honorable position of President. On February 15, 1976 the Socialist Constitution was approved with the free, direct and secret vote of over 95% of the people with the right to cast a vote. The first National Assembly was established on December 2nd that same year; this elected the State Council and its presidency. Before that, I had been a Prime Minister for almost 18 years. I always had the necessary prerogatives to carry forward the revolutionary work with the support of the overwhelming majority of the people.

There were those overseas who, aware of my critical health condition, thought that my provisional resignation, on July 31, 2006, to the position of President of the State Council, which I left to First Vice-President Raul Castro Ruz, was final. But Raul, who is also minister of the Armed Forces on account of his own personal merits, and the other comrades of the Party and State leadership were unwilling to consider me out of public life despite my unstable health condition.
It was an uncomfortable situation for me vis-à-vis an adversary which had done everything possible to get rid of me, and I felt reluctant to comply.

Later, in my necessary retreat, I was able to recover the full command of my mind as well as the possibility for much reading and meditation. I had enough physical strength to write for many hours, which I shared with the corresponding rehabilitation and recovery programs. Basic common sense indicated that such activity was within my reach. On the other hand, when referring to my health I was extremely careful to avoid raising expectations since I felt that an adverse ending would bring traumatic news to our people in the midst of the battle. Thus, my first duty was to prepare our people both politically and psychologically for my absence after so many years of struggle. I kept saying that my recovery “was not without risks.”

My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath. That’s all I can offer.

To my dearest compatriots, who have recently honored me so much by electing me a member of the Parliament where so many agreements should be adopted of utmost importance to the destiny of our Revolution, I am saying that I will neither aspire to nor accept, I repeat, I will neither aspire to nor accept the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief.
In short letters addressed to Randy Alonso, Director of the Round Table National TV Program, --letters which at my request were made public-- I discreetly introduced elements of this message I am writing today, when not even the addressee of such letters was aware of my intention. I trusted Randy, whom I knew very well from his days as a student of Journalism. In those days I met almost on a weekly basis with the main representatives of the University students from the provinces at the library of the large house in Kohly where they lived. Today, the entire country is an immense University.

Following are some paragraphs chosen from the letter addressed to Randy on December 17, 2007:
“I strongly believe that the answers to the current problems facing Cuban society, which has, as an average, a twelfth grade of education, almost a million university graduates, and a real possibility for all its citizens to become educated without their being in any way discriminated against, require more variables for each concrete problem than those contained in a chess game. We cannot ignore one single detail; this is not an easy path to take, if the intelligence of a human being in a revolutionary society is to prevail over instinct.

“My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, much less to stand in the way of younger persons, but rather to contribute my own experience and ideas whose modest value comes from the exceptional era that I had the privilege of living in.
“Like Niemeyer, I believe that one has to be consistent right up to the end.”
Letter from January 8, 2008:

“…I am a firm supporter of the united vote (a principle that preserves the unknown merits), which allowed us to avoid the tendency to copy what came to us from countries of the former socialist bloc, including the portrait of the one candidate, as singular as his solidarity towards Cuba. I deeply respect that first attempt at building socialism, thanks to which we were able to continue along the path we had chosen.”

And I reiterated in that letter that “…I never forget that ‘all of the world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn.”
Therefore, it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer. This I say devoid of all drama.

Fortunately, our Revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and others who were very young in the early stages of the process. Some were very young, almost children, when they joined the fight on the mountains and later they have given glory to the country with their heroic performance and their internationalist missions. They have the authority and the experience to guarantee the replacement. There is also the intermediate generation which learned together with us the basics of the complex and almost unattainable art of organizing and leading a revolution.

The path will always be difficult and require from everyone’s intelligent effort. I distrust the seemingly easy path of apologetics or its antithesis the self-flagellation. We should always be prepared for the worst variable. The principle of being as prudent in success as steady in adversity cannot be forgotten. The adversary to be defeated is extremely strong; however, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a century.

This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas. I shall continue to write under the heading of ‘Reflections by comrade Fidel.’ It will be just another weapon you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I shall be careful.

Thanks.

Fidel Castro Ruz
February 18, 2008
5:30 p.m.http://www.cubasi.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?SPK=160&CLK=187000&LK=2&CK=96104&SPKA=35

[Herman]

A pity, but he is very old. Good to know he will continue using the pen as a weapon though.

[VukBZ2005]

I think that this would help to disrupt the plans of the United States has for Cuba greatly, as they were counting on Fidel Castro actually dieing while still being the Commander-in-chief to both activate and mobilize those plans. So, if you see it from that perspective, it is a good thing.

[Raúl Duke]

SO he's resigning and all that stuff they been speculating here in Miami didn't come true...

That's nice. Not that I like Fidel but I really dislike these right-wing Cuban exiles.

[Ismail]

Fidel Castro is a revisionist. He became a "Communist" only after he believed that the USSR would be better for him. His "revolution" happened at the same time the US wanted Batista removed in place of another military strongman. Now that he's gone, hopefully Raúl won't do too many reforms.

[apathy maybe]

Is the "revolution" dependant on one person?

The question could also be asked, which theory of history is more accurate? The 'great men' version, or the 'mass of people' version?

Yes, I saw this story on the BBC feed, I didn't bother posting it because I figured that someone else would. My personal feelings on the matter are "it doesn't really matter". It doesn't matter if he dies or not even. If the "revolution" in Cuba is so weak that it is dependant on a single person, then it obviously isn't worth keeping (which will be sad, because it stood as an example of an alternative, even if it isn't one that I desired).

If the "revolution" can be kept going, and if Cuba keeps its "socialism", then that is good, but ultimately I'm aiming for the destruction of Cuba. Indeed, the destruction of all states, capitalist and "socialist". In the mean time though, as I said, Cuba is an alternative, and those are good.


Fidel Castro is a revisionist. He became a "Communist" only after he believed that the USSR would be better for him. His "revolution" happened at the same time the US wanted Batista removed in place of another military strongman. Now that he's gone, hopefully Raúl won't do too many reforms.Hehe, great men of history.

[Ismail]

Hehe, great men of history.Because a new person doesn't represent the overall view of the bourgeois/nobility/proletarians/tribal leaders/bureaucracy/whoever has influence over the government. :rolleyes:

Castro was the representative of Cuba, just like Hoxha represented Albania, Khrushchev (as did any General Secretary) represented the USSR and so on. Would you seriously expect the Fascists in Germany to make an anarchist their leader? Or the "Stalinists" to have a social-democratic liberal as General Secretary of the USSR?

[RebelDog]

Whilst I do not support the majority of the Castro policies, I fear this is the beginnings of the return of capitalism to Cuba, and US dominance over the island.

[apathy maybe]

Because a new person doesn't represent the overall view of the bourgeois/nobility/proletarians/tribal leaders/bureaucracy/whoever has influence over the government. :rolleyes:

Castro was the representative of Cuba, just like Hoxha represented Albania, Khrushchev (as did any General Secretary) represented the USSR and so on. Would you seriously expect the Fascists in Germany to make an anarchist their leader? Or the "Stalinists" to have a social-democratic liberal as General Secretary of the USSR?
If you think that Cuba is dependent on a single person to maintain a "socialist" system, then you are proposing a "great men of history" point of view.

Just like blaming Khrushchev for the "revisionism" in the USSR after Stalin died, or for that matter blaming Stalin for the "millions" of deaths in the USSR between 1936 and '56.

Of course, having a "great men of history" POV is not, in and of it self, a problem, however, it is fundamentally anti-Marxist. But enjoy your delusions. ;)

[RedAnarchist]

Whilst I do not support the majority of the Castro policies, I fear this is the beginnings of the return of capitalism to Cuba, and US dominance over the island.

Why? They wanted him dead in office, not retiring and living.

[Edelweiss]

I don't really think Cuba will go the disastrous path of China anytime soon. The power-political position now in Latin-America is completely different from just 10 years ago. We have a strong alliance of pro-Cuban states headed by Venezuela now, who actually see the Cuban system more or less as a role model. Cuba can afford now to go on with it's path.

Also, Raul is not exactly known as a reformer. He was one of the key figures, along with Che, who did push the Cuban revolution to radicalize, he was a communist long time before Fidel was.

[Ismail]

If you think that Cuba is dependent on a single person to maintain a "socialist" system, then you are proposing a "great men of history" point of view.Good thing I'm not.


Just like blaming Khrushchev for the "revisionism" in the USSR after Stalin died,Did he not condemn Stalin at the 20th Congress? Did he not engage in a campaign of "conciliation" with the US? Did he not agree that there are "different roads" to socialism and thus many borderline-revisionist parties took his advice and gave up struggle in favor of reformism? He represented the increasingly revisionist USSR at that point. Otherwise he wouldn't of got in power and would of gone the path of Beria.


or for that matter blaming Stalin for the "millions" of deaths in the USSR between 1936 and '56.Only most were due to famine and so on. They were material things, not views.


Of course, having a "great men of history" POV is not, in and of it self, a problem, however, it is fundamentally anti-Marxist.Correct, this is why we condemn Juche as revisionist.

[RebelDog]

Why? They wanted him dead in office, not retiring and living.

They want him powerless. Whether that constitutes death or retirement it doesn't really matter. The US will be exploring every possible angle to exploit this.

[VukBZ2005]

They want him powerless. Whether that constitutes death or retirement it doesn't really matter. The US will be exploring every possible angle to exploit this.

What you misunderstand is that Castro will still have power, just due to the fact that his ideological tendencies have been in place for 49 years, and, just due to the fact that he was the person that helped to create the Cuban bureaucracy. To imply otherwise would be naive.

Now yes, the United States will look to exploit this, but, I just do not see how such attempts would be successful; the Cuban state is continuously crushing any type of organized counter-revolutionary activity (I am using the term "counter-revolutionary" in the context of the Cuban Revolution and, its aftermath), Castro would still be alive, as I stated above, and, most people in Cuba are educated and clearly understand the threat the United State currently poses to them, and thus, will most likely refuse to overthrow a system that has allowed them to do better than the majority of Latin America, historically-speaking.

[Saorsa]

I think that this is probably a positive thing to happen. Castro's way too old to be head of state, and he's been in power too long already.

The main problem I have is that rather than trying to reinvigorate the Cuban government with new, younger faces, he's handed over power to Raul Castro. The Cuban regime is predominantly run by a bunch of grey haired old men who fought in the revolution, and who have held onto the reigns of power ever since. Unless the Cuban regime is reinvigorated with new blood and unless younger, post-revolution generations are drawn into the administration of state power, I fear that the Cuban system will inevitablycollapse as the old men in charge start to die off (or continue to die off, more accurately).

Cuba may be a state-capitalist overgrown sugar plantation, but the facts are that there is a hell of a lot to defend in it and it's leaders, and the world will be worse off without it. So let's hope that it can overcome the challenges that lie ahead of it, without stagnating and eventually being destroyed.

[YKTMX]

I believe the planning application for LatinoDisney is already being considered by the Cuban government.

[spartan]

Sad to see the old man go but i suppose that it is for the best.

You know what they say "Out with the old and in with the new" but lets just hope that the new leadership stick to the same basic fundamental concept of Socialism and anti-Imperialism instead of selling out to Capitalism like the Stalinists beloved USSR.

Anyway on to the deluded spoilsport trying his best to be different to shock everyone:


Fidel Castro is a revisionist. He became a "Communist" only after he believed that the USSR would be better for him. His "revolution" happened at the same time the US wanted Batista removed in place of another military strongman. Now that he's gone, hopefully Raúl won't do too many reforms.

Why are you putting quote marks around "revolution"?

Cuba's revolution wasnt Socialist to begin with, agreed, though you would do well to know that not all revolutions are Socialist (But that doesnt make them all unprogressive either in the circumstances).

[coda]

Resignation letter:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/02/19/nacional/artic10.html

He's still brilliant as ever! sad to see him go. :( .

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

I agree with many of you that he made a wise choice in choosing to resign and have another leader appointed rather than allow his death to serve as a precedent for counter revolutionary activity by the US.

[manic expression]

Although it does seem necessary and although it was always inevitable, it is very sad to see this. I suppose that even the greatest revolutionaries must eventually entrust the younger generations with the struggle. Castro's contributions will never be forgotten, and the cause will carry on. Long live the revolution!

[PRC-UTE]

I don't really think Cuba will go the disastrous path of China anytime soon. The power-political position now in Latin-America is completely different from just 10 years ago. We have a strong alliance of pro-Cuban states headed by Venezuela now, who actually see the Cuban system more or less as a role model. Cuba can afford now to go on with it's path.

Also, Raul is not exactly known as a reformer. He was one of the key figures, along with Che, who did push the Cuban revolution to radicalize, he was a communist long time before Fidel was.

good post, I agree with the analysis. I once had the same impression of Raul being a "reformer" but now I think you may be right.

[Dros]

Whilst I do not support the majority of the Castro policies, I fear this is the beginnings of the return of capitalism to Cuba.

When did capitalism go away in Cuba?!:ohmy:

[BIG BROTHER]

Well It's a shame to see comrade Castro retire, but like many of you have said, he's grown old and its better for him to retire than to die in office. Lets just hope that the revolution keeps going strong and not even one inch is given to US imperialism.

By the way, I'm I the only one outraged by the exile's celebration?

[PRC-UTE]

By the way, I'm I the only one outraged by the exile's celebration?

Funny that they'd celebrate the fact that Castro has tactically outmanouvered them. Yet again. I guess that reality went over their heads, with the rest of it...

[AGITprop]

perhaps this is grounds for a new revolution in cuba, to establish real socialism and to work alongside venezuela which will definitely affect cuba and cuba venezuela.

[BIG BROTHER]

perhaps this is grounds for a new revolution in cuba, to establish real socialism and to work alongside venezuela which will definitely affect cuba and cuba venezuela.

I guess that until, there's a stateless, classless society in those contries, there will always be room for improvement.

[Ismail]

perhaps this is grounds for a new revolution in cuba, to establish real socialism and to work alongside venezuela which will definitely affect cuba and cuba venezuela.I'm pretty sure Cuba has more of a claim to being socialist then Venezuela has.

[PRC-UTE]

perhaps this is grounds for a new revolution in cuba, to establish real socialism and to work alongside venezuela which will definitely affect cuba and cuba venezuela.

That's utopian and metaphysical thinking. Cuba's doing the best it can under such conditions. It needs relief from the siege.

[BIG BROTHER]

That's utopian and metaphysical thinking. Cuba's doing the best it can under such conditions. It needs relief from the siege.

That's another true point, you can only do so much with the US threatening to take over, and the dammed embargo.

[Goatse]

This is probably a good thing, considering how old he was getting. Hope he continues to be influential though.

[SouthernBelle82]

Yup. I read about this on my phone this morning while I was getting ready to leave for class and saw in the article George Bush talking about how now there can be democracy in Cuba. What an ignorant and arrogant boob. From that comment Bush doesn't know anything about Cuba and goes a long with your line of thinking. I also suggest the film "The War on Democracy" by John Pilger. It goes a long with this line of thinking and how the U.S. and various leaders try to get rid of any leftist leader that goes against what the U.S. wants.


They want him powerless. Whether that constitutes death or retirement it doesn't really matter. The US will be exploring every possible angle to exploit this.

Oh and another good thing is at least he's leaving on HIS terms and nobody else's.


Well It's a shame to see comrade Castro retire, but like many of you have said, he's grown old and its better for him to retire than to die in office. Lets just hope that the revolution keeps going strong and not even one inch is given to US imperialism.

By the way, I'm I the only one outraged by the exile's celebration?

I'm sure he'll probably be available for advisement and whatnot.


This is probably a good thing, considering how old he was getting. Hope he continues to be influential though.

[Morag]

I think its good news. Let the man have some peace, I say! At least he isn't going to have to work at Wal-Mart to support his retirement...

[TheDifferenceEngine]

Will Raul betray the Revolution like Stalin and Xiaoping?

[Dros]

Cuba's doing the best it can under such conditions.

Historically, Cuba served as a satallite for social imperialist interests. They are not doing the best they can because they are not trying to create real socialism.

[Dominicana_1965]

Fidel Castro is a revisionist. He became a "Communist" only after he believed that the USSR would be better for him. His "revolution" happened at the same time the US wanted Batista removed in place of another military strongman. Now that he's gone, hopefully Raúl won't do too many reforms.

Fidel Castro became a Marxist-Leninist in his University days.

[Herman]

Historically, Cuba served as a satallite for social imperialist interests. They are not doing the best they can because they are not trying to create real socialism.

Oh please. Keep your ludicrous Maoist theories away.

[Ultra-Violence]

I Love You Fidel!

[Ismail]

Fidel Castro became a Marxist-Leninist in his University days.From what I've heard, he was a social democrat until after he came into power and stressed that he was not a Communist until he came under the wing of the USSR.


Will Raul betray the Revolution like Stalin and Xiaoping?It's a Maotrotskyist!

[Dominicana_1965]

From what I've heard, he was a social democrat until after he came into power and stressed that he was not a Communist until he came under the wing of the USSR.

It's a Maotrotskyist!
Initially he was a utopian socialist (through the irrationality of capitalism that he learned while being in political economy) before becoming a Marxist-Leninist in his University period. While being a utopian socialist he got his hands on the Communist Manifesto and heavily stressed it's importance and political significance. The writings of Marx were his most influential along with Marti's.

[PRC-UTE]

Historically, Cuba served as a satallite for social imperialist interests. They are not doing the best they can because they are not trying to create real socialism.

They're stunted by their position within the global imperialist chain, there's not much they can do about that fact. What they have done with veyr limited resources and external opposition they have to deal with everyday does not make it a model to be emulated, but a (positive) example of what socialism can achieve, even under the most dire circumstances.

[CubaSocialista]

Fidel Castro has been, pretty much, my political mentor. His speeches, his writings, have inspired me. I wouldn't be half as good a Communist as I am now without his contributions to our thought. In a century where we're still getting our bearings...he's done his share...and as for the past century...even more so.


I should be in class now (I'm in college.)...I'm kind of...shocked...maybe depressed even. I mean, I know he had to step down, he's old...I hope he has many years ahead of him...I want Cuba to grow, to be a shining symbol of anti-imperialist resistance, an example of how capitulation will never be accepted as long as socialism is known in the hearts of a population...

I'm sad. :crying:

He's not gone, and I hope he stays around for as long as it's comfortable...I just...

Those old days, those speeches, those marches in the olive-green fatigues...the awe-inspiring speeches that resonated throughout Latin America that sent shivers down the Cappies' spines... :crying:

Viva Fidel is still going to be my slogan. For a very, very long time. This was the wise thing for him to do. The Revolution must be prepared to continue, to breathe, to live, without him as its tutelary...I recognize this...

Just to see a symbol of everything I've identified with politically...step down...marks the end of an era...

I'm speechless beyond that..

[Herman]

Fidel Castro has been, pretty much, my political mentor. His speeches, his writings, have inspired me. I wouldn't be half as good a Communist as I am now without his contributions to our thought. In a century where we're still getting our bearings...he's done his share...and as for the past century...even more so.


I should be in class now (I'm in college.)...I'm kind of...shocked...maybe depressed even. I mean, I know he had to step down, he's old...I hope he has many years ahead of him...I want Cuba to grow, to be a shining symbol of anti-imperialist resistance, an example of how capitulation will never be accepted as long as socialism is known in the hearts of a population...

I'm sad. http://www.revleft.com/vb/../revleft/smilies2/crying.gif

He's not gone, and I hope he stays around for as long as it's comfortable...I just...

Those old days, those speeches, those marches in the olive-green fatigues...the awe-inspiring speeches that resonated throughout Latin America that sent shivers down the Cappies' spines... http://www.revleft.com/vb/../revleft/smilies2/crying.gif

Viva Fidel is still going to be my slogan. For a very, very long time. This was the wise thing for him to do. The Revolution must be prepared to continue, to breathe, to live, without him as its tutelary...I recognize this...

Just to see a symbol of everything I've identified with politically...step down...marks the end of an era...

I'm speechless beyond that..

I felt more or less the same when he was in the hospital, with severe health problems. It's a pity really. He is an inspiration to many. One less great man in the world...

However, you shouldn't feel too bad either. Know that Cuba won't likely surrender to US imperialism. It's time for everyone to show their solidarity with Cuba and stay informed of the events which from now on, I suspect, will be of great importance.

[Dominicana_1965]

Fidel Castro has been, pretty much, my political mentor. His speeches, his writings, have inspired me. I wouldn't be half as good a Communist as I am now without his contributions to our thought. In a century where we're still getting our bearings...he's done his share...and as for the past century...even more so.


I should be in class now (I'm in college.)...I'm kind of...shocked...maybe depressed even. I mean, I know he had to step down, he's old...I hope he has many years ahead of him...I want Cuba to grow, to be a shining symbol of anti-imperialist resistance, an example of how capitulation will never be accepted as long as socialism is known in the hearts of a population...

I'm sad. :crying:

He's not gone, and I hope he stays around for as long as it's comfortable...I just...

Those old days, those speeches, those marches in the olive-green fatigues...the awe-inspiring speeches that resonated throughout Latin America that sent shivers down the Cappies' spines... :crying:

Viva Fidel is still going to be my slogan. For a very, very long time. This was the wise thing for him to do. The Revolution must be prepared to continue, to breathe, to live, without him as its tutelary...I recognize this...

Just to see a symbol of everything I've identified with politically...step down...marks the end of an era...

I'm speechless beyond that..

Well I think that this will be progressive in the sense that now comrade Fidel will start writing more thus letting Communists and Socialists to read his works much more now. His contributions are worth the attention and will benefit many.

[chebol]

Couple of things:

1. He hasn't resigned. He has only decided not to stand for the Presidency and Command of the Army.

2. Don't talk about him like he's dead and gone. He's neither. He's still in the Parliament, and will continue to write his "reflections".

3. To those who don't get Cuba - go jump.

[SouthernBelle82]

Aw I'm sorry you're so down. *hugs* I'm actually not that surprised really. I think it's just surprising because it's unexpected. I have been thinking he'd probably resign sometime soon but just didn't know when. Hopefully Raul will help to inspire the people to continue what Fidel started.


Fidel Castro has been, pretty much, my political mentor. His speeches, his writings, have inspired me. I wouldn't be half as good a Communist as I am now without his contributions to our thought. In a century where we're still getting our bearings...he's done his share...and as for the past century...even more so.


I should be in class now (I'm in college.)...I'm kind of...shocked...maybe depressed even. I mean, I know he had to step down, he's old...I hope he has many years ahead of him...I want Cuba to grow, to be a shining symbol of anti-imperialist resistance, an example of how capitulation will never be accepted as long as socialism is known in the hearts of a population...

I'm sad. :crying:

He's not gone, and I hope he stays around for as long as it's comfortable...I just...

Those old days, those speeches, those marches in the olive-green fatigues...the awe-inspiring speeches that resonated throughout Latin America that sent shivers down the Cappies' spines... :crying:

Viva Fidel is still going to be my slogan. For a very, very long time. This was the wise thing for him to do. The Revolution must be prepared to continue, to breathe, to live, without him as its tutelary...I recognize this...

Just to see a symbol of everything I've identified with politically...step down...marks the end of an era...

I'm speechless beyond that..

[BIG BROTHER]

Arriva Fidel! Arriva la Revolucion!

[SouthernBelle82]

Here are some cool pictures of Castro when he visited the States way back when.

http://www.cubaencuentro.com/var/cubaencuentro.com/storage/images/encuentro-en-la-red/opinion/articulos/fidel-castro-el-negrero/castro-junto-a-malcolm-x-en-harlem-en-1960/224755-1-esl-ES/castro_junto_a_malcolm_x_en_harlem_en_1960_article thumbnail.jpg Castro with Malcom X

http://media.npr.org/news/images/2006/aug/01/castro_sullivan200.jpg With Ed Sullivan

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Fidel_Castro_-_MATS_Terminal_Washington_1959.jpg/538px-Fidel_Castro_-_MATS_Terminal_Washington_1959.jpg Arriving in Washington in 1959

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/c/c6/Fidel_Castro_at_the_Lincoln_Memorial.jpg Respect to Lincoln

http://image.guim.co.uk/Guardian/news/gallery/2007/sep/24/internationalnews/[email protected]
Ice cream at the Bronx Zoo

[RNK]

And with this we are faced with the possibility of the destruction of one of the last bastions of revolutionary consciousness in the world. Any change in Cuba would be like a smaller-scale version of the collapse of the USSR; for the first time in almost 100 years we will be without a single truely revolutionary community on the planet.

We should all hope that the people of Cuba have been substantially prepared for this day, and that they have the strength and initiative to fight for their system. And just the same, I hope we all are prepared to fight to defend Cuban socialism, with whatever faults it may have; it is certainly, as a work-in-process, more advantageous to keep the Cuban system than to see it destroyed and reverted to outright capitalist exploitation.

I think one of the main things that draws many people towards Fidel and Che is the overwhelming odds the two faced and the overwhelming success of their movement. In two years, what started as a dozen men overthrew a reactionary government and launched one of the most progressive and advanced revolutionary societies. Whether we have differences in line or ideology or thinking we should all atleast keep our comradery in mind and recognize that Cuban socialism was and, hopefully, will still be an inspiration for future revolutionaries.

We need to fight for Cuba and socialism, now more than ever.

Vive la revolucion!

[SouthernBelle82]

I think that's very true and I hope the people of Cuba can learn from the people of Venezuela and that's to fight for what they deserve, want and believe in whether that's to continue the path that Castro has set up or whatever it is and I hope they don't go down the road to capitalism and just echo that. If the people of Venezuela can do it than the people of Cuba can.


And with this we are faced with the possibility of the destruction of one of the last bastions of revolutionary consciousness in the world. Any change in Cuba would be like a smaller-scale version of the collapse of the USSR; for the first time in almost 100 years we will be without a single truely revolutionary community on the planet.

We should all hope that the people of Cuba have been substantially prepared for this day, and that they have the strength and initiative to fight for their system. And just the same, I hope we all are prepared to fight to defend Cuban socialism, with whatever faults it may have; it is certainly, as a work-in-process, more advantageous to keep the Cuban system than to see it destroyed and reverted to outright capitalist exploitation.

I think one of the main things that draws many people towards Fidel and Che is the overwhelming odds the two faced and the overwhelming success of their movement. In two years, what started as a dozen men overthrew a reactionary government and launched one of the most progressive and advanced revolutionary societies. Whether we have differences in line or ideology or thinking we should all atleast keep our comradery in mind and recognize that Cuban socialism was and, hopefully, will still be an inspiration for future revolutionaries.

We need to fight for Cuba and socialism, now more than ever.

Vive la revolucion!

[Dros]

Oh please. Keep your ludicrous Maoist theories away.

Go read a book about the Cuban revolution.

[Self Defense]

Thanks Southern Belle, those are phenominal pictures.

This is truly a sad day, but he is old now and we all know it had to come sometime.

[Lenin II]

You can hear the US imperialists licking their lips like hungry dogs, just waiting to descend upon the juicy island, ripe and ready to be raped by capitalism. Tell those right-wing Cuban exiles not to gloat too quickly!

Any imperialist plans to see Cuba as the 51st state will happen over my dead body. Seriously. I will go down there with guns and fight the US before I see that happen.

They have been planning to invade it for DECADES and tried to assassinate Castro over 600 times. It’s just good he stepped down before they could do so and gloat.
I’m just a bit pissed because I never got meet him when he was president.

I don’t care if he was a revisionist, really. I became a communist because of him. People can read revisionist shit and be drawn in, then they can become hardline over time. Even if you think he was a “state capitalist” or whatever, he is a socialist who should be supported, the same as Chavez’s Venezuela.

The future for Cuba is uncertain. Raul will probably take over. The Cuban Communist Party will hopefully keep a tight grip on sate affairs. I also hope that Raul will remain hardline without making any “market reforms” and become like China.

Most commentators consider Raul Castro to be a political hardliner who will maintain the Communist Party of Cuba’s political power at all costs. There are some who believe that he is more pragmatic than his older brother and more willing to institute free market-oriented economic policies. It is speculated that he favors a variant of the current Chinese political and economic model for Cuba in the hopes of preserving some elements of the socialist system. However, none of these speculations have ever been confirmed by Raúl himself.

[Trystan]

Who really cares? Castro was a socialist but he became a rich dictatorial bastard whose only use was pissing off Washington.

[Self Defense]

You can hear the US imperialists licking their lips like hungry dogs, just waiting to descend upon the juicy island, ripe and ready to be raped by capitalism. Tell those right-wing Cuban exiles not to gloat too quickly!


Yeah, the news is all over this. Potraying Cuba as "evil communists", wanting to go down there and privatize everything:lol:. It will turn into another shithole of intolerance (like schools in the U.S.) and no one will afford it.... Then they'll use the "those things were inherited because of so-and-so (castro in this case)" cop out.


Who really cares? Castro was a socialist but he became a rich dictatorial bastard whose only use was pissing off Washington.

How can you say that? He may have been a revisionist but he made huge social progress.

[Trystan]

How can you say that? He may have been a revisionist but he made huge social progress.

That's true, and good health care and education is a rarity in capitalist Latin America . . . however . . .

Castro is opposed to free speech, has murdered and imprisoned people who expressed opposing views, and as someone who considers socialism to be about social struggle, he has little sympathy from me. He was also homophobic.

[( R )evolution]

I will jump into the argument in a bit but has anyone seen the reports of this sad event upon US news stations? It is possibly the most disgusting use of propaganda and slandering against Castro and Cuba, that I have personally seen. It just reflects how much the new agencies in the US are alingened with the bourgeoisie. They are screaming of the joy and happiness in the Cuban peoples heart to see the old dirty communist go. I really do indeed hate American slander.

[Dros]

They're stunted by their position within the global imperialist chain, there's not much they can do about that fact. What they have done with veyr limited resources and external opposition they have to deal with everyday does not make it a model to be emulated, but a (positive) example of what socialism can achieve, even under the most dire circumstances.

There is some truth to the argument that Cuba couldn't develop socialism at that time b/c of the constraints of imperialism. However, Cuba focused on producing it's traditional cash crop, sugar, for sale to the USSR for things like oil and guns. Instead, Castrol should have started growing more and more food stuffs and trying to become more self sufficient instead of adopting revisionist economic policies and functioning as an economic/geopolitical Soviet satallite.

[Hiero]

Will Raul betray the Revolution like Stalin and Xiaoping?

That is a very strange thing to say. Stalin and Xiaoping are opposite ends of the economic spectrum of socialism. And Raul has been a dedicated Marxist Leninist, before Castro. I am sure by now if Rual wanted to turn Cuba into a market socialist economy the PCC would have seen the signs already.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Besides the capitalist mouthpieces, this sort of event always brings out the anti-communist "leftists" as well..


I think that this is probably a positive thing to happen. Castro's way too old to be head of state, and he's been in power too long already.

Says who? You? How long is "too long"?

Term limits are undemocratic. If the workers and farmers of Cuba feel a person is up to the task of being president and want to elect him 50 times in a row, why shouldn't they be able to (liberal sensibilities aside)?


The main problem I have is that rather than trying to reinvigorate the Cuban government with new, younger faces, he's handed over power to Raul Castro.

Raul was the vice president. When a president falls ill or resigns, the position goes to the vice president.

Anyway, the National Assembly will carry out a vote to select a new president on Sunday. It's not guaranteed that Raul will be the one elected.


The Cuban regime is predominantly run by a bunch of grey haired old men who fought in the revolution, and who have held onto the reigns of power ever since. Unless the Cuban regime is reinvigorated with new blood and unless younger, post-revolution generations are drawn into the administration of state power, I fear that the Cuban system will inevitablycollapse as the old men in charge start to die off (or continue to die off, more accurately).

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about, so why do you feel you should comment?

There are people of all ages in the PCC and throughout the organs of government and the mass organizations. Have you heard of Ricardo Alarcon or Felipe Roque?


Cuba may be a state-capitalist overgrown sugar plantation, but the facts are that there is a hell of a lot to defend in it and it's leaders, and the world will be worse off without it. So let's hope that it can overcome the challenges that lie ahead of it, without stagnating and eventually being destroyed.

That doesn't even make sense. You're essentially saying it's a capitalist neocolony, but it needs to be defended. Make up your mind. Either go all out State Department socialist like YKHSOW or take up the communist position and defend Cuba for the gains it represents for working people.


Fidel Castro is a revisionist. He became a "Communist" only after he believed that the USSR would be better for him. His "revolution" happened at the same time the US wanted Batista removed in place of another military strongman. Now that he's gone, hopefully Raúl won't do too many reforms.

I know you guys diched Mao, but did you have to drop everything he said? His assertion of "no investigation, no right to speak" seems fitting here.

Anyone pushing the bogus line that Fidel knew nothing or communism or was soley a "democrat" before the revolution is either lying or ignorant. Take a look at his work before the attack on Moncada, and the books he requested while in prison for that very same action (here's a hint: Marx and Lenin appeared several times on the list). Add to the fact that Raul was a known communist, and he joined other known leftists like Che and Cienfuegos in the 26 July Movement and tell me what you come up with. Sure, Fidel was no party cadre, but if he would have been, there wouldn't have been a revolution.


Who really cares?

Communists and other workers and farmers the world over.


Castro was a socialist but he became a rich dictatorial bastard whose only use was pissing off Washington.

Why did he "piss off Washington" if he was no longer a socialist? Why did they hate him so much?

And the whole "rich bastard" junk is bogus. It's been pointed out here several times that Fidel enjoys relatively few comforts, especially when compared to the leaders of other states.

Even the right wing anti-Cuban Miami Herald has agreed to this fact, saying: "The houses of Fidel and Raúl are large but simply appointed... An acquaintance who has visited both Fidel and Raúl's homes described them as very large by Cuban standards but relatively simply appointed with Cuban-made furniture, with Raúl's home ``a bit nicer than Fidel's... ''


Castro is opposed to free speech, has murdered and imprisoned people who expressed opposing views, and as someone who considers socialism to be about social struggle, he has little sympathy from me. He was also homophobic.

Maybe you should write for the Wall Street Journal "comrade."

The only people jailed in Cuba were/are open counterrevolutionaries under the pay of their imperialist masters.

If you think Cuba is some police state in which no one can speak ill of the government, you should do some research. Look up "the women in white," wives and mothers of the above mentioned counterrevolutionary agents, who regularly hold public protests. Of course they're often run off the streets by Cuban workers and farmers, who have no love for counterrevolutionaries and imperialism. Or read Ripley's "Conversations with Cuba," in which the author describes the first thing out of the mouth of the first person he met in Cuba: "Fuck Castro."

Anyway, "free speech" is a myth. There's no such thing as unlimited free speech. Each society decides what can and cannot be said.


* * *

As I was telling another comrade earlier, I was watching CNN this morning and they had some "political analysist" calling for the U.S. to "step in" and "promote democracy." She had to the nerve to say "People in Cuba don't have the right to get rich. Yes, Cuba excells in healthcare and education, but they don't have the fundamentals." As if "the right to get rich" was a fundamental, but health and education are not. What a joke.

[R_P_A_S]

i think what makes my stomach turn the most... is the speeches Bush an other fucks are making.. such as "The U.S. will help bring the blessings of liberty to cuba and it's people".. shit like this is being broadcasted to everyday people WITH NO DAMN FUCKING 'opposition' views and opinions.. SICK

[Trystan]

Communists and other workers and farmers the world over.

Really? You think that Castro has any influence on workers and farmers across the world? Castro is an old fart who is virtually irrelevant to social struggle; only the workers themselves can bring about revolution.



Why did he "piss off Washington" if he was no longer a socialist? Why did they hate him so much?1. The missile crisis and his affiliation with the USSR.
2. It was painfully embarrassing for the US that a regime calling itself "communist" could exist just a few miles from the Florida coastline.



And the whole "rich bastard" junk is bogus. It's been pointed out here several times that Fidel enjoys relatively few comforts, especially when compared to the leaders of other states.Fidel's wealth has been estimated at around $550 to $900 million.


Even the right wing anti-Cuban Miami Herald has agreed to this fact, saying: "The houses of Fidel and Raúl are large but simply appointed... An acquaintance who has visited both Fidel and Raúl's homes described them as very large by Cuban standards but relatively simply appointed with Cuban-made furniture, with Raúl's home ``a bit nicer than Fidel's... ''
And . . .? So he enjoys relatively few comforts, but he will undoubtedly enjoy the best health care money can buy.


Maybe you should write for the Wall Street Journal "comrade."That's a predictably cynical response from a authoritarian. Maybe you should have written for Pravda. And you're right, I'm not your comrade.


The only people jailed in Cuba were/are open counterrevolutionaries under the pay of their imperialist masters. How do you that all of them were counterrevolutionaries? Most were imprisoned without trial, after all. Castro considered gays as "agents of imperialism", and for him, they could not be true communists and sent many to forced labor camps as well as having them dismissed from their jobs. As a Castroist, what kind of "socialism" do you subscribe to by the way, the "National" kind?

LGBT groups are still illegal and homosexuals were only allowed to be openly gay from 1992 onward. But I guess nobody's perfect, right? :rolleyes:


If you think Cuba is some police state in which no one can speak ill of the government, you should do some research. Look up "the women in white," wives and mothers of the above mentioned counterrevolutionary agents, who regularly hold public protests. Of course they're often run off the streets by Cuban workers and farmers, who have no love for counterrevolutionaries and imperialism. Or read Ripley's "Conversations with Cuba," in which the author describes the first thing out of the mouth of the first person he met in Cuba: "Fuck Castro."Well, political groups opposed to the regime are outlawed, and you face a threat of prosecution for voicing an opinion that deviates from the official party line. It may not be Stalinist Russian or Nazi Germany, but it's not good enough. It's not the kind of "socialist" government that I want, but hey . . .


Anyway, "free speech" is a myth. There's no such thing as unlimited free speech. Each society decides what can and cannot be said. Oh? What part of "free speech" is a "myth"? I don't care about what the rest of society thinks. I like the freedom to say what I like no matter what kind of government I live under.
* * *


As I was telling another comrade earlier, I was watching CNN this morning and they had some "political analysist" calling for the U.S. to "step in" and "promote democracy." She had to the nerve to say "People in Cuba don't have the right to get rich. Yes, Cuba excells in healthcare and education, but they don't have the fundamentals." As if "the right to get rich" was a fundamental, but health and education are not. What a joke.[/quote]
Well, I don't disagree. But it seems to me that you sympathize with Castro because of his opposition to the US and imperialism more than anything else.

[Self Defense]

Fidel's wealth has been estimated at around $550 to $900 million.
This is Fox News-esque propaganda. Have you seen any documents? Who is really saying this? Fidel says he has no foreign bank accounts and I believe him. Why?
Who has lied to you more, the US media or Fidel Castro? He is brutally honest, like Chavez, and if he had money he would say something (or at least not hide it). Plus he wore the same thing every day for 40 years, how rich could he be?


Oh? What part of "free speech" is a "myth"? I don't care about what the rest of society thinks. I like the freedom to say what I like no matter what kind of government I live under.

Actually, lack of free speech in Cuba is overstated in the media. Cubans have a right to assembly, so they can get away with saying lots of things.

[Lenin II]

Castro is opposed to free speech,
Oh Lenin. Here we go again with the bourgeoisie "human rights" argument, the argument posed by many socialists who cry crocodile tears over the reactionaries and landlords imprisoned and not allowed to vote in state matters. Guess what? It is fine. It's not "terrible" at all. It is anything but terrible. The concern for "human rights" is nothing more than a tool for combating the rise of the peasants an proletariat against the interests of the landlords; it is a counter-revolutionary theory. Countless thousands of the oppressed striking down those who have battered their flesh and starved them for so long. The revolution requires great change. The bourgeoisie have driven the workers and their state to such measures. For ages they have used their power to trample the workers underfoot and use them as slaves. This is why they react so strongly, and this is why the workers' behavior towards them is correct.

has murdered and imprisoned people who expressed opposing views,
Ever heard of class struggle?

and as someone who considers socialism to be about social struggle, he has little sympathy from me.
What?

[Lenin II]

Fidel's wealth has been estimated at around $550 to $900 million.
Are you serious? that old argument again? Are you really arrogant enough to imagine that you're the first troll to say that?
(Sigh) I suppose I'll play along. What's your source for that statement?

[Self Defense]

Are you serious? that old argument again? Are you really arrogant enough to imagine that you're the first troll to say that?
(Sigh) I suppose I'll play along. What's your source for that statement?

Yeah, the statement is nonsense.

[RNK]

Fidel's wealth has been estimated at around $550 to $900 million.


I believe this accusation came from Forbes (or some similar type of popular western magazine). The figure was derived from the wealth of Cuba and the assumption that Fidel was an absolute dictator who owned every inch of Cuba as if it were his personal company, and so attributed Cuba's wealth to him.

[Trystan]

Oh Lenin. Here we go again with the bourgeoisie "human rights" argument, the argument posed by many socialists who cry crocodile tears over the reactionaries and landlords imprisoned and not allowed to vote in state matters. Guess what? It is fine. It's not "terrible" at all. It is anything but terrible. The concern for "human rights" is nothing more than a tool for combating the rise of the peasants an proletariat against the interests of the landlords; it is a counter-revolutionary theory. Countless thousands of the oppressed striking down those who have battered their flesh and starved them for so long. The revolution requires great change. The bourgeoisie have driven the workers and their state to such measures. For ages they have used their power to trample the workers underfoot and use them as slaves. This is why they react so strongly, and this is why the workers' behavior towards them is correct.Why do you assume that all people opposed to Castro are "bourgeois"? Have you considered that maybe some of Castro's opponents are actually socialists? Today, most of the people who speak out against Castro are not bourgeois but proletarians. But perhaps you share Lenin's view that the people are too stupid to think for themselves and have to be lead toward a great future that they are too dumb to be able to envision for themselves.



Ever heard of class struggle?Have you ever noticed that so-called "socialist" leaders become a kind of red aristocracy? I believe in class struggle, so I believe that people like Castro should be overthrown. I wouldn't be surprised if you have an affinity towards the Chinese "Communist" Party.

Btw, I see that you've ignored the issue of gay rights in Cuba. Putting your fingers in your ears and going "lalala" works well, no?

[Captain Communism]

He has outlived 9 US presidents, this guy is a living legend, I just hope his voice is still heard for as long as he lives. I think the resignation is the smartest move he could of made.

[Self Defense]

Why do you assume that all people opposed to Castro are "bourgeois"? Have you considered that maybe some of Castro's opponents are actually socialists? Today, most of the people who speak out against Castro are not bourgeois but proletarians. But perhaps you share Lenin's view that the people are too stupid to think for themselves and have to be lead toward a great future that they are too dumb to be able to envision for themselves.
Most of the people that are anti-Castro (who were expelled in the 80s) were racist Anglo-Cubans and cronies of Batista who were greedy (if you don't believe in the greed of the bourgeois you should not be on this site).


Have you ever noticed that so-called "socialist" leaders become a kind of red aristocracy? I believe in class struggle, so I believe that people like Castro should be overthrown. I wouldn't be surprised if you have an affinity towards the Chinese "Communist" Party.
The aristocracy you speak of is the aristocracy against capitalism... I thought the whole point was to eliminate Capitalism?
How do you want to get rid of it, throw them a farewell party?

[Trystan]

Most of the people that are anti-Castro (who were expelled in the 80s) were racist Anglo-Cubans and cronies of Batista who were greedy (if you don't believe in the greed of the bourgeois you should not be on this site).

"Racist Cubans"? I wonder if you'd be honest enough to classify Castro like that too.


The aristocracy you speak of is the aristocracy against capitalism... I thought the whole point was to eliminate Capitalism?
How do you want to get rid of it, throw them a farewell party?

Yes, and they also have a history killing millions of proletarians (e.g Stalin, Mao). The fact that they are "anti-Capitalist" does not mean that they automatically have my support. You're incredibly naive if a movement automatically has your backing just because they are against capitalist.


How do you want to get rid of it, throw them a farewell party?

How about through workers revolution (i.e. a revolution in which the people supposedly being emancipated have a say), and not an oligarchy that ends up only acting in its own interests anyway?

[Self Defense]

"Racist Cubans"? I wonder if you'd be honest enough to classify Castro like that too.
Racist against who?


Yes, and they also have a history killing millions of proletarians (e.g Stalin, Mao). The fact that they are "anti-Capitalist" does not mean that they automatically have my support. You're incredibly naive if a movement automatically has your backing just because they are against capitalist.

When has Castro killed millions of proletarians? In fact, when as he killed any? He locks up capitalists who still wish to seize control. The ones who'd rather have a country run by crime and casinos.


How about through workers revolution (i.e. a revolution in which the people supposedly being emancipated have a say), and not an oligarchy that ends up only acting in its own interests anyway?

Can you give me an example of Castro and his allies acting on their own interest? They don't have hordes of their countries goods; they aren't holding out on anybody. "Freedom of Speech" (if this is what you're referring too) is not a well defined term. Can you say anything you want in the U.S.? NO, you will be silenced. I'm not saying Cuba is all fine and dandy when it comes to free speech, but if the people had really had huge complaints, Castro wouldn't be able to stop them.

[Axel1917]

Fidel Castro is a revisionist. He became a "Communist" only after he believed that the USSR would be better for him. His "revolution" happened at the same time the US wanted Batista removed in place of another military strongman. Now that he's gone, hopefully Raúl won't do too many reforms.

Well not quite "the USSR being better for him," but more like he never intended to do away with capitalism at first. Constant sabotage by the capitalists and US imperialists forced him to expropriate capitalism, the source of these problems.

There are pro-capitalists elements in Cuba's CP that want to do things the "Chinese Way," and these tendencies should be opposed by all working people and revolutionaries. It seems that there is a right-wing (pro capitalist), a somewhat "Centre" wing (Castro, etc.) and a bit of a left wing that is looking toward new ideas (some toward Trotskyism). The left wing should critically support the "Centre" wing against the reactionaries in the CP.

The proletarian bonapartism in Cuba is very mild. It is not a classical Stalinist state, and it can be made into a healthy workers' state via reform.

The revolution does need to spread, though, as no matter how valiant the workers in Cuba fight the right wing, the right wing will eventually prevail if the country remains isolated. Venezuela is helping things in some ways, but the absence of a strong Bolshevik party there is hampering things a bit, as Chavez vacillates and responds to pressure instead of having solid perspectives (I do critically support him, but we really need to build a party down there to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the working class.). It can be argued that Cuba and Venezuela may stand or fall together.

I can't believe some of the crap people are spouting out about Castro. Some people believe anything they see on TV or read, it seems.

[R_P_A_S]

Really? You think that Castro has any influence on workers and farmers across the world? Castro is an old fart who is virtually irrelevant to social struggle; only the workers themselves can bring about revolution.


1. The missile crisis and his affiliation with the USSR.
2. It was painfully embarrassing for the US that a regime calling itself "communist" could exist just a few miles from the Florida coastline.


Fidel's wealth has been estimated at around $550 to $900 million.

And . . .? So he enjoys relatively few comforts, but he will undoubtedly enjoy the best health care money can buy.
That's a predictably cynical response from a authoritarian. Maybe you should have written for Pravda. And you're right, I'm not your comrade.

How do you that all of them were counterrevolutionaries? Most were imprisoned without trial, after all. Castro considered gays as "agents of imperialism", and for him, they could not be true communists and sent many to forced labor camps as well as having them dismissed from their jobs. As a Castroist, what kind of "socialism" do you subscribe to by the way, the "National" kind?

LGBT groups are still illegal and homosexuals were only allowed to be openly gay from 1992 onward. But I guess nobody's perfect, right? :rolleyes:

Well, political groups opposed to the regime are outlawed, and you face a threat of prosecution for voicing an opinion that deviates from the official party line. It may not be Stalinist Russian or Nazi Germany, but it's not good enough. It's not the kind of "socialist" government that I want, but hey . . .

Oh? What part of "free speech" is a "myth"? I don't care about what the rest of society thinks. I like the freedom to say what I like no matter what kind of government I live under.
* * *

Well, I don't disagree. But it seems to me that you sympathize with Castro because of his opposition to the US and imperialism more than anything else.[/QUOTE]

LMAO! what fucking rock did you crawled out of? :laugh:

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

With "leftists" like these, who needs rightists?

You should see if you can get a job writing press releases for the State Department.


Why do you assume that all people opposed to Castro are "bourgeois"? Have you considered that maybe some of Castro's opponents are actually socialists? Today, most of the people who speak out against Castro are not bourgeois but proletarians. But perhaps you share Lenin's view that the people are too stupid to think for themselves and have to be lead toward a great future that they are too dumb to be able to envision for themselves.I'd ask you to back up what you say here if I knew it wasn't impossible to do so.


Have you ever noticed that so-called "socialist" leaders become a kind of red aristocracy?Some times. Of course that's a result of material conditions such as isolation and imperialist encirclement.

One thing is for sure, lining up with your "own" imperialists against socialist states is not going to help workers take political power out of the hands of bureaucrats. It will help but the whole works back in the hands of the imperialists though..


I believe in class struggle, so I believe that people like Castro should be overthrown.Communism isn't a religion. It doesn't matter whether you "believe" in class struggle, it's a real thing that's going on all the time. Of course if you understood that, you'd understand that Fidel is no enemy of workers.


I wouldn't be surprised if you have an affinity towards the Chinese "Communist" Party.A few people around here do. None in this thread though.. Of course comparing the Chinese Party to the PCC is ludicrous and shows that you have no understanding of the situations in China or Cuba. There is no guaranteed housing, employment, education or healthcare in China like there is in Cuba, and the imperialists have their hands all over everything. No body is working in a sweat shop in Cuba.



Really? You think that Castro has any influence on workers and farmers across the world? Castro is an old fart who is virtually irrelevant to social struggle; Are you serious?

I suggest watching the documentary Fidel: The Untold Story and taking a look at how many people come to hear him speak in countries all over the world.


only the workers themselves can bring about revolution. Of course.


1. The missile crisis and his affiliation with the USSR.Nelson Mandela has an "affiliation with the USSR." Why didn't the U.S. hate him so much?


2. It was painfully embarrassing for the US that a regime calling itself "communist" could exist just a few miles from the Florida coastline.But the U.S. has shown it has no qualms dealing with a government "calling itself communist" if it can get what it wants. It deals with China, and even Viet Nam, to which it lost a war. Why the hostility against Cuba? What makes it special?


Fidel's wealth has been estimated at around $550 to $900 million.By Forbes magazine - a mouthpiece of U.S. imperialists!

Of course it was entirely bogus - the bunk methodology they used was already mentioned earlier. They admitted their "estimate" was "more art than science" - in other words, bullshit.

Fidel's response?

"PRESIDENT Fidel Castro has challenged and called on Bush, the CIA, the 33 U.S. intelligence agencies, the thousands of banks in the world and the "servants" of Forbes magazine, which claims that Fidel has a fortune of $900 million, to prove that he has even one dollar in an overseas account.
In exchange for just one shred of evidence, he said that he would offer them everything that they have tried and failed to do over almost half a century, during which time they have tried to destroy the Revolution and assassinate him via hundreds of conspiracies. "I’m giving you everything you’ve tried," he said, "and don’t come with your foolishness and wayside stories. Show me an account, of just one dollar," he emphasized.
"If they can prove that I have one single dollar, I will resign from all my responsibilities and the duties I am carrying out; they won’t need any more plans or transitions, if they can prove that I have one single dollar," the revolutionary leader said emphatically." - http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2006/mayo/mar16/21fidel1.html

"Bush has not uttered a word and neither have the State Department, Congress or the CIA. Only the Nuevo Herald, a Miami newspaper, has tried to defend [the Forbes article] at the request of the Cuban-American mafia. This silence by the US Administration demonstrates the extent of its weakness." - http://www.radiohc.cu/ingles/especiales/mayo06/especiales25a.htm


And . . .? So he enjoys relatively few comfortsWait, a minute ago he was a multi-millionaire.. now you admit he enjoys relatively few comforts. Which one is it? Or does he keep all of his millions burried in glass jars at Playa Giron? :laugh:


, but he will undoubtedly enjoy the best health care money can buyAs do all Cubans who need it.


How do you that all of them were counterrevolutionaries?Because I read and study.

I suggest you do the same if you're serious about changing the world.


Most were imprisoned without trial, after all. As a Castroist, what kind of "socialism" do you subscribe to by the way, the "National" kind?There's no such thing as "Castroism."

And the 75 dissidents (read:agents) arrested in 2003 that liberals and anti-communist rightists alike love to moan about were all tried and found guilty.

As Felipe Roque has pointed out "Cuba has the right to defend itself and apply punishment just like other nations do, like the United States punishes those who cooperate with a foreign power to inflict damage on their people and territory."


LGBT groups are still illegal and homosexuals were only allowed to be openly gay from 1992 onward. But I guess nobody's perfect, right?Right.

Cuba has recognized its errors and moved to rectify them.

“The errors which Cuba committed were very similar to those that were and still are committed in many countries. Cuba was a reflection of the world. The same happened here that happened in other places, only that much more got out because it was expected that a Socialist revolution could not commit those errors because it was a revolution for the emancipation of man. The ideology at that time was permeated with homophobia and prejudices. The Communist parties were very homophobic. It is recently that they have more inclusive attitudes.”
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=91&ItemID=14507

"Lumsden reports that after the triumph of the revolution in 1959, there was very little government discrimination against gays. However, at various points between 1965 and 1975, the revolutionary regime interned a number of gays in labor camps, purged gay figures in education and the arts, banned gays from the military, and censored homosexual themes in literature. ... Lumsden asserts that since the mid-1970s, systematic discrimination against gays has greatly diminished. ... Lumsden observes that despite the homophobia of the regime, the revolution has “planted the seeds of liberation of gays” by raising their expectations for personal development by fostering health, education, culture and material security. Also, gains that women have made in education, employment, the professions, and access to contraception, abortion, child care, and divorce have eroded machismo." -


Well, political groups opposed to the regime are outlawed, and you face a threat of prosecution for voicing an opinion that deviates from the official party line. It may not be Stalinist Russian or Nazi Germany, but it's not good enough. It's not the kind of "socialist" government that I want, but hey . . .Can you prove anything you say here?

Of course not, because it's nothing but a pile of lies.

Groups such as the PDCC and PSRDC operate in Cuba, as well as the "women in white," which I have already mentioned.


Oh? What part of "free speech" is a "myth"? I don't care about what the rest of society thinks. I like the freedom to say what I like no matter what kind of government I live under. The whole part.

No country allows anyone to say "anything they want." If you don't believe me, try making some "terroristic threats" in New York City and see what happens.

No one is Cuba is in prison for "speaking against the government." There are a handful of political prisoners in Cuba, and they're all there because they were actively pursuing counterrevolution with U.S. backing.

If you really wanted to know about this, you'd visit Cuba or research the "women in white" and the book I told you about earlier in this thread. Instead you keep repeating the same garbage.

What was that about putting one's fingers in their ears?

This whole argument comes from a liberal perspective.

You have to escape the realm of narrow bourgeois right if you're serious about revolutionary politics.


"Racist Cubans"? I wonder if you'd be honest enough to classify Castro like that too. This is so incredibly ridiculous it doesn't deserve a response.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/95000/images/_97672_castro_mandela300.jpg


Yes, and they also have a history killing millions of proletarians (e.g Stalin, Mao). The fact that they are "anti-Capitalist" does not mean that they automatically have my support. You're incredibly naive if a movement automatically has your backing just because they are against capitalist.Despite all the problems with Stalin and Mao, life was infinitely better for workers in the USSR and China during their times then it is now, and that's a fact.

Communists support and defend all gains made my workers, no matter how limited, and use them as a stage to stand on as we fight for full liberation.

Not doing so is ridiculous. Should we write off a hard won raise at work because we're still exploited? Or should we take the raise and keep fighting?


How about through workers revolution (i.e. a revolution in which the people supposedly being emancipated have a say), and not an oligarchy that ends up only acting in its own interests anyway? There was a revolution in Cuba. There is no "oligarchy." Even Cuba's rightist enemies admit there is very little privilege enjoyed by Castro. Members of local and national government aren't even paid, and they maintain their regular jobs.

You yourself admit that Fidel and Raul enjoy relatively few privileges.

So, unless "acting in their own interests" means not taking much, if anything, for themselves, you're flat wrong.

And of course it is the workers and farmers who run things in Cuba. Look into the way things are run, how laws are made and how plans are made. Look into the Federation of Cuban women and CTC. Read "Cuba: Dictatorship or Democracy."


Well, I don't disagree. But it seems to me that you sympathize with Castro because of his opposition to the US and imperialism more than anything else.I respect Fidel as a comrade in struggle.

[metalero]

LGBT groups are still illegal and homosexuals were only allowed to be openly gay from 1992 onward. But I guess nobody's perfect, right?


Sex change operations and hormonal therapy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Cuba)
The Cuban National Center for Sex Education (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_National_Center_for_Sex_Education) is presently proposing a law that would give transsexuals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexuals) free Sex reassignment surgery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_reassignment_surgery) and hormonal therapy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy_%28trans%29) in addition to granting them new identification documents with their changed gender. A draft bill was presented to the Cuban National Assembly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_National_Assembly) in 2005. It is expected to come up for a vote in December 2006. If approved, it is suggested that the bill would make Cuba the most liberal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal) nation in Latin America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America) on gender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender) issues

The National Center for Sex Education (Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_National_Center_for_Sex_Education), or CENESEX) is a government-funded body in Cuba (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba). The center is best known for advocating tolerance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT) issues on the island. The head of the center is Mariela Castro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariela_Castro), daughter of Raúl Castro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%BAl_Castro), the brother of Cuban leader Fidel Castro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro).


Carlos Sanchez (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Cuba#Sanchez_visit_2004), the male representative of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian_and_Gay_Association) for the Latin America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America) and Caribbean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean) Region, visited Cuba in 2004 to participate in the Third Hemispheric Meeting Against the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Trade_Area_of_the_Americas) also met with some local lesbians and gays while there, and he reported the following observations:

There are no legal sanctions against LGBT people.
People are afraid of meeting and organizing themselves. It is mainly based on their experience in previous years, but one can assume that this feeling will disappear in the future if lesbians and gays start to work and keep working and eventually get support from the government. (The National Center for Sexual Education is offering this support).
"Transformismo" (Drag performance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_queen)) is well accepted by the majority of the Cuban population
There is indeed a change in the way people view homosexuality, but this does not mean the end of discrimination and homophobia. The population is just more tolerant with lesbians and homosexuals.
Lesbians and gays do not consider fighting for the right to marriage, because that institution in Cuba does not have the same value that it has in other countries. Unmarried and married people enjoy equal rights.I could go on with sources, even from liberal websites, but I just thought I'd do a favor to our "libertarian" confused friend if I encourage him to do some research on the topic before filling his mouth of cheap and old-fashioned anti-cuban slanders..

[Orange Juche]

I've seen a number of responses to critiques against Castro, but none on his homophobia. So, if some Castro supporter would be so kind as to respond to that accusation, I'd be interested to see it.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

It's been done several times in this thread.

[Saorsa]

Says who? You? How long is "too long"?


I just did say it, didn't I? And don't be childish, there are plenty of other commnuists in the world who feel that Castro has stayed in power too long. When you get to the point where you're unable to operate to the best of your abilities and to the standards that the job requires and your people deserve, you've stayed in power too long, which is why I think it's good that Fidel has resigned. Why are you being so petty about that statement?


Term limits are undemocratic. If the workers and farmers of Cuba feel a person is up to the task of being president and want to elect him 50 times in a row, why shouldn't they be able to (liberal sensibilities aside)?

Agree totally.


Raul was the vice president. When a president falls ill or resigns, the position goes to the vice president.

I know that. But it just doesn't look good, and isn't helpful when arguing with reactionary types, that Fidel has handed over power to his brother. Upon further investigation I'm confident that this is only temporary and that somebody else may well take the helm, but I don't support power being handed over to a gray haired old man in his 70s who happens to be Fidel's brother.


Anyway, the National Assembly will carry out a vote to select a new president on Sunday. It's not guaranteed that Raul will be the one elected.

See above.



You obviously have no idea what you're talking about, so why do you feel you should comment?

There are people of all ages in the PCC and throughout the organs of government and the mass organizations. Have you heard of Ricardo Alarcon or Felipe Roque?


I've read shitloads of books and articles by and about Cuba, Fidel, Che and so on. It was reading about Fidel Castro and Cuba that led me down the road to becoming a Marxist-Leninist in the first place.

There may be younger people in the government, the Party etc, but the majority of leadership positions and the reigns of power in general remain in the hands of the men and women who fought in the revolution, or come from that generation. That's objective fact. And it is a problem, and will become more of a problem as time goes on. I'm confident, however, that Cuba will overcome this problem as it has overcome so many others and pass on the revolution to a younger generation.

The Union of Young Communists (UJC) seem to be making themselves heard. During Cuba's recent national debate on political issues, the UJC's newspaper Juventud Rebelde criticized shortcomings in official employment and university attendance statistics and campaigned around social issues like homophobia.

The old heads have to realise ( and I'm confident that they will realise) that winning over Cuba's youth - who've only known the struggles faced during the 'Special Period', - is a priority. I hope they can do this.


That doesn't even make sense. You're essentially saying it's a capitalist neocolony, but it needs to be defended. Make up your mind. Either go all out State Department socialist like YKHSOW or take up the communist position and defend Cuba for the gains it represents for working people.

Lol, weak counter-argument. You accuse me of having contradictions within my arguments, but in this paragraph you simultaneously say that I'm saying Cuba needs to be defended and also that I have to say it needs to be defended (confusing sentence I know, but it reflects the argument NHIA levelled at me)!

I never said that Cuba was a neo-colony. You can be state-capitalist without being a neo-colony. The fact is, Cuba's economy is based on producing sugar and selling it to foreign buyers, hence my comparison of it to an "overgrown sugar plantation". I was criticising the fact that Castro has not made any real changes to Cuba's dependence on foreign purchase of it's sugar, other than to add tourism to the equation!

However, despite this, the fact is that Fidel has used the money generated by the sale of sugar etc to fund healthcare, housing, education, employment, and many other benefits for his people. So Cuba is, in a sense, a country with a state-capitalist economy and a left-wing, broadly socialist government. This is what I defend about Cuba, the positive aspects of it, while simultaneously critiquing the negative aspects. You, on the other hand, treat any critiscism of Cuba as a reactionary attack on socialism itself.

[chebol]

But it just doesn't look good, and isn't helpful when arguing with reactionary types, that Fidel has handed over power to his brother. Upon further investigation I'm confident that this is only temporary and that somebody else may well take the helm, but I don't support power being handed over to a gray haired old man in his 70s who happens to be Fidel's brother.Doesn't look good to whom, precisely? A bunch of reactionary idiots? A bunch of hand-wringing liberals?

The choice beolngs to the Cuban people, and whether you like it or not, your moralising can't deny the fact that Raul is there - not becauseb of his brother, but because he has been at the vanguard of the revolution for as long as Fidel has. It is also offensively arrogant of you to say "I don't support power being handed over to ...".

You expect the Cuban people to rol lover and do what you need to feel all comfy and liberal in wherever it is that you live? Go cry.


the majority of leadership positions and the reigns of power in general remain in the hands of the men and women who fought in the revolution, or come from that generation. That's objective fact. And it is a problem,Why? Why is it a problem, except that you don;t like it?


I'm confident, however, that Cuba will overcome this problem as it has overcome so many others and pass on the revolution to a younger generation.

The Union of Young Communists (UJC) seem to be making themselves heard. Oh, so you mean that problem which you think exists there, actually doesn't really?


The old heads have to realise ( and I'm confident that they will realise)You tell 'em, Ginger. Coz they clearly need help in building a revolution and haven't been able to understand the need for the younger generation at any time in the past 50 years. Obviously not, seeing as you say so. Otherwise, why would you feel the need to lend your amazing intellect to the revolution and its fuddy-duddy leadership?


The fact is, Cuba's economy is based on producing sugar and selling it to foreign buyers, hence my comparison of it to an "overgrown sugar plantation".Actually, nitwit, Cuba's largest sources of foreign income are 1. nickel exports, and 2. tourism.
And a question there laddy, what exactly is a socialist economy gonna be based on then...? Empty posturing and moralising, perhaps?


So Cuba is, in a sense, a country with a state-capitalist economy and a left-wing, broadly socialist government. Oh dear. So, the Cuban economy, which is overwhelmingly nationalised and owned and run by the state (which you would need to justify your State Cap thesis), is in fact run by a government which is "broadly socialist". Does the logic of a "broadly socialist" government which controls the entire economy and yet is actually "capitalist" not confuse you slightly? Maybe, just maybe, you've one of the bits wrong.

Like the "state capitalist" bit, perhaps...

Marge, where's my medication!!!!!!!!

[OrientalHado]

haha chebol summed it up really..

[Dros]

Anyone pushing the bogus line that Fidel knew nothing or communism or was soley a "democrat" before the revolution is either lying or ignorant. Take a look at his work before the attack on Moncada, and the books he requested while in prison for that very same action (here's a hint: Marx and Lenin appeared several times on the list). Add to the fact that Raul was a known communist, and he joined other known leftists like Che and Cienfuegos in the 26 July Movement and tell me what you come up with. Sure, Fidel was no party cadre, but if he would have been, there wouldn't have been a revolution.

Noone said that. We know that Castro read Marx and Lenin. We know Raul and Che were Communists. That still doesn't prove that Castro was a Communist. He didn't actually declare the revolution to be one that had Socialism and Communism as its aims until he realized that he needed support from the USSR.

[OrientalHado]

Noone said that. We know that Castro read Marx and Lenin. We know Raul and Che were Communists. That still doesn't prove that Castro was a Communist. He didn't actually declare the revolution to be one that had Socialism and Communism as its aims until he realized that he needed support from the USSR.

Are you that out of touch with reality..If he started shouting out his socialist credentials, his larger neighbour, the U.S would of dismantled the revolution..It's called good crisis management..

Castro actually had some problems with the Soviet Socialist model, as others in his government did. But he was simply being tactful, then go it alone on Cuban Socialism..What u think you can build a revolution on thin air, without some form of comprimise??

Sometimes people just argue semantics for the fucking sake of it..jeez

[Lenin II]

I've seen a number of responses to critiques against Castro, but none on his homophobia. So, if some Castro supporter would be so kind as to respond to that accusation, I'd be interested to see it.
Just this once, I'll do your research for you:
http://www.revleft.com/vb/persecution-homosexuals-cuba-t68249/index.html

[SouthernBelle82]

No prob! I found them actually on a democratic board I like to lurk at and thought they would be perfect for this thread. I really like the picture of him at the Lincoln memorial and also eating ice cream. I'm thinking of putting those two together and making it a wallpaper for my desktop.


Thanks Southern Belle, those are phenominal pictures.

This is truly a sad day, but he is old now and we all know it had to come sometime.

[SouthernBelle82]

Oh yes! That pisses me off SOOO bad as well because he's stolen two elections himself and he's killing thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan all in the name of so-called "liberty" and "democracy." Why not interview various communist party officials about Castro's resignation? Oh and here's a cool video from the CPUSA about it- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YuXqH-oWrc&eurl=http://cpusa.org/

Hopefully this works. If not just visit the CP website and it's the first thing on the main page.


i think what makes my stomach turn the most... is the speeches Bush an other fucks are making.. such as "The U.S. will help bring the blessings of liberty to cuba and it's people".. shit like this is being broadcasted to everyday people WITH NO DAMN FUCKING 'opposition' views and opinions.. SICK

[SouthernBelle82]

One thing I'm curious about with Cuba and assembly: do they need a permit? That's one thing that pisses me off about here is you need a damn permit to protest on a public property. :rolleyes:


This is Fox News-esque propaganda. Have you seen any documents? Who is really saying this? Fidel says he has no foreign bank accounts and I believe him. Why?
Who has lied to you more, the US media or Fidel Castro? He is brutally honest, like Chavez, and if he had money he would say something (or at least not hide it). Plus he wore the same thing every day for 40 years, how rich could he be?



Actually, lack of free speech in Cuba is overstated in the media. Cubans have a right to assembly, so they can get away with saying lots of things.

[SouthernBelle82]

Thanks for posting this. That way if I come across anyone lately who says this I can come here for the proof of other wise. Cuba is way more liberal in this area than here in the States. Here in the States, "land of the free," LGBT people are beaten up horribly here every day. :( Hopefully the U.S. will change but I'm not going to hold my breath. I still remember one time last year I believe watching Bill Maher and he had a gay guy on the show who was talking about the marriage issue and for him he said he wanted to have the same rights as married couples do. That's the argument and what they deserve. You can have a commitment ceremony all you want but if the government doesn't recognize you than how are you supposed to take care of each other and your family? It's all about the rights.


Sex change operations and hormonal therapy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Cuba)
The Cuban National Center for Sex Education (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_National_Center_for_Sex_Education) is presently proposing a law that would give transsexuals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transsexuals) free Sex reassignment surgery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_reassignment_surgery) and hormonal therapy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy_%28trans%29) in addition to granting them new identification documents with their changed gender. A draft bill was presented to the Cuban National Assembly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_National_Assembly) in 2005. It is expected to come up for a vote in December 2006. If approved, it is suggested that the bill would make Cuba the most liberal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal) nation in Latin America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America) on gender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender) issues

The National Center for Sex Education (Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_National_Center_for_Sex_Education), or CENESEX) is a government-funded body in Cuba (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba). The center is best known for advocating tolerance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT) issues on the island. The head of the center is Mariela Castro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariela_Castro), daughter of Raúl Castro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%BAl_Castro), the brother of Cuban leader Fidel Castro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro).


Carlos Sanchez (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Cuba#Sanchez_visit_2004), the male representative of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian_and_Gay_Association) for the Latin America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America) and Caribbean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean) Region, visited Cuba in 2004 to participate in the Third Hemispheric Meeting Against the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Trade_Area_of_the_Americas) also met with some local lesbians and gays while there, and he reported the following observations:
There are no legal sanctions against LGBT people.
People are afraid of meeting and organizing themselves. It is mainly based on their experience in previous years, but one can assume that this feeling will disappear in the future if lesbians and gays start to work and keep working and eventually get support from the government. (The National Center for Sexual Education is offering this support).
"Transformismo" (Drag performance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_queen)) is well accepted by the majority of the Cuban population
There is indeed a change in the way people view homosexuality, but this does not mean the end of discrimination and homophobia. The population is just more tolerant with lesbians and homosexuals.
Lesbians and gays do not consider fighting for the right to marriage, because that institution in Cuba does not have the same value that it has in other countries. Unmarried and married people enjoy equal rights.I could go on with sources, even from liberal websites, but I just thought I'd do a favor to our "libertarian" confused friend if I encourage him to do some research on the topic before filling his mouth of cheap and old-fashioned anti-cuban slanders..

[BIG BROTHER]

Oh yes! That pisses me off SOOO bad as well because he's stolen two elections himself and he's killing thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan all in the name of so-called "liberty" and "democracy." Why not interview various communist party officials about Castro's resignation? Oh and here's a cool video from the CPUSA about it- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YuXqH-oWrc&eurl=http://cpusa.org/

Hopefully this works. If not just visit the CP website and it's the first thing on the main page.

I know man! They only show the reactions of the cuban's exiles, why don't they show the reactions of the people who actualy live in cuba? Are they scared to show the public that all the stuff they have said against socialism and Fidel is just b.s?:mad:

[SouthernBelle82]

Yup. I would like to hear more from the Cuban people too. The CPUSA talked about how they have tourist from all over the world come to Cuba except people in the United States. :rolleyes: Gee now why is that?


I know man! They only show the reactions of the cuban's exiles, why don't they show the reactions of the people who actualy live in cuba? Are they scared to show the public that all the stuff they have said against socialism and Fidel is just b.s?:mad:

[SouthernBelle82]

One thing I'm wondering with you guys and I know y'all will be honest about it: a couple of terms ago I did this presentation on Cuba with a group and there's a family friend who's from Guatemala now living in Mexico with her husband and she went to Cuba not too long ago for missionary work with some churches there and she talked about how in Cuba churches are registered and some churches are underground and she talked about how there was a well known communist leader involved. She also talked about how people in Cuba aren't allowed to talk about politics in public places and she said Castro owns everything and they can't take anything with them when they leave Cuba. She also talked about once how when she was getting there staying with these people she wanted to open the window and according to her they freaked out and told her no. So what do y'all think with that?

[BIG BROTHER]

Now Castro, at least tecnically doesn't own anything. The states owns property so it can distribute it equally. Now wether they really stick to this or not is another thing...

[RNK]

So long as democracy and universal suffrage still exist then the state apparatus of Cuba still serves the masses and not the other way around.

[Seven Stars]

I'll ignore all this anti-Castro bullshit as I have a few questions to ask.

When and how will the the next President be selected? And what are the odds that it will be Raul?

[Sankofa]

Indeed, the Castro slandering is just tacky.

It's not so much the being critical of Castro's policies, it was the use of baseless rhetoric I would expect to see on Fox News I found particularly disturbing.

That being said, I remember some one saying that the new president was to be elected on Sunday? Pretty sure it's going to be Raul; doesn't matter to me so long as they don't ruin 50+ years of resistance to Uncle Sam.

[RNK]

When and how will the the next President be selected? And what are the odds that it will be Raul?

If I remember correctly his temporary replacement will be decided upon by the national assembly or some such in the coming weeks. Whoever is chosen will replace Castro until the next elections.

[Kitskits]

Hello. Just posting to honor Fidel for the revolution and all the roles he played in the 20th century... When he dies I will be ready to accept it. I know that Fidel worship is fucking idealism but I really admire the man and feel proud as human about what he did! As for material reasons I admire him for the reason that Cuba would be much worse (like the rest of latin america) without the Revolution...

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

When and how will the the next President be selected? And what are the odds that it will be Raul?

The National Assembly should select a new President on Sunday. It will probably be Raul, but that's not certain at all. Other possibilities (or future possibilities) include Carlos Lage, Ricardo Alarcon and Felipe Roque. Less likely are the rest of the Vice Presidents: Almeida, Colome, Lazo and Machado.

[BIG BROTHER]

sorry if this statements sounds very ignorant, but somewhere in the news I heard that it was stated in Cuba' constitution that Raul was to be the next president. Is this true?

[SouthernBelle82]

I'm wondering that too. Now I've read that Raul is Fidel's vice president and that's why he's temporarily president. Either way he's temporarily president and on Sunday as it's been said already the National Assembly is supposed to vote for the new president and as others have said I too think it will probably be Raul.


sorry if this statements sounds very ignorant, but somewhere in the news I heard that it was stated in Cuba' constitution that Raul was to be the next president. Is this true?

[Gitfiddle Jim]

Won't Raul simply take control? Will there definitely be elections?

And on a side note I too would like to show my utmost respect and admiration for Fidel and what he did during the revolution.

[MT5678]

There may be elections, but I doubt they will amount to anything.

The massive gains Cuba made under Castro in the fields of healthcare and nutrition and education will be rolled back.

The ripe fruit will be plucked.

Castro's fall is a sad day for the left.

[Faux Real]

There may be elections, but I doubt they will amount to anything.

The massive gains Cuba made under Castro in the fields of healthcare and nutrition and education will be rolled back.

The ripe fruit will be plucked.

Castro's fall is a sad day for the left.
What are you talking about? Castro and the CPC has had almost five decades to prepare more than one revolutionary anti-capitalist generation. You're also forgetting that Castro hasn't even died yet.

[MT5678]

:(Sorry. I'm naturally pessimistic.

[Faux Real]

:(Sorry. I'm naturally pessimistic.
Well, in that case you're forgiven. :p

[manic expression]

sorry if this statements sounds very ignorant, but somewhere in the news I heard that it was stated in Cuba' constitution that Raul was to be the next president. Is this true?

No, that is most definitely an incorrect statement. Here is Cuba's Constitution:

http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html

[Hiero]

Won't Raul simply take control? Will there definitely be elections?


Raul is now the acting president, as he was the Vice president. There will definitely be a presidential elections, after the National Assembly election, later in the year when they met they will vote for a president.


There may be elections, but I doubt they will amount to anything.

You know there are other communists in the country other then Castro brothers. Even if a non party member is voted President (which is possible) they would still be sympathetic to socialism and heavily influenced by the ideology of the PCC.

[Xiao Banfa]

First of all, a disclaimer that I am very pro-Cuba.

There are a couple of things I just want to clear up.

Post 1991, Cuba's health care system is no longer a shining example- not by any fault of the socialist system but because of previous soviet dependence and the US blockade.

The hotel business, which has been set up by the army. Are Cuban's allowed to use these hotels (even if they could afford them)?

[Davie zepeda]

Like all new generations we take the issues from the old to carry on to improve there vision of the future. Cuba must have reform quick to hold ground and build wealth within the nation so it can improve the nation at a much quicker rate to feed the hunger of the people hopefully the issues of money can be fixed .

[manic expression]

First of all, a disclaimer that I am very pro-Cuba.

There are a couple of things I just want to clear up.

Post 1991, Cuba's health care system is no longer a shining example- not by any fault of the socialist system but because of previous soviet dependence and the US blockade.

The hotel business, which has been set up by the army. Are Cuban's allowed to use these hotels (even if they could afford them)?

Just a few things:

I would like to add to your assessment of Cuba's health care system. The standards in life expectancy and the like have been more or less maintained since 1991, and Cuba has even managed to improve its infant mortality rate. During the Special Period, such an evaluation was certainly correct, but I do feel that Cuba has been able to overcome many of these challenges.

Also, while there are many hotels that are reserved for tourists, the government unfailingly provides very comfortable quarters for those who work there (IIRC). At any rate, the revenue produced by the tourist industry goes toward improving the housing of the entire Cuban population, and so it's a positive thing for the working class IMO.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

Have you ever noticed that so-called "socialist" leaders become a kind of red aristocracy? I believe in class struggle, so I believe that people like Castro should be overthrown. I wouldn't be surprised if you have an affinity towards the Chinese "Communist" Party.

Btw, I see that you've ignored the issue of gay rights in Cuba. Putting your fingers in your ears and going "lalala" works well, no?

Ummmm... So let me get this straight. You are quoting LeninII here and saying that? I should point out that LeninII is a Hoxhaist from what I know. Enver Hoxha was known for criticizing Chinese Revisionism and their reactionary 3 worlds theory.

[RNK]

Are Cuban's allowed to use these hotels (even if they could afford them)?

I'm not sure, but, the hotels run on an entirely different monetary system than ordinary Cubans use (the Peso, as opposed to the Convertible Peso which iirc is held at par with the US $).

Cuba is a perfect example of the fact that class contradictions continue even under socialism. While the extent of Cuba's socialism can be argued the fact remains that there's still work to be done. What remains to be seen is if this change will be a change for the better or for the worse. Will the new leaders choose "quick fix" schemes, ie injecting the Cuban economy with more "limited" capitalism?

[manic expression]

I'm not sure, but, the hotels run on an entirely different monetary system than ordinary Cubans use (the Peso, as opposed to the Convertible Peso which iirc is held at par with the US $).

Just to jump in here (again), I actually heard somewhere that they stopped using the convertible peso system (which was a policy with a lot of disadvantages, although it was understandable in some ways). I'll do some research and try to see if this is true or not.

[Comrade Nadezhda]

Historically, Cuba served as a satallite for social imperialist interests. They are not doing the best they can because they are not trying to create real socialism.
Which is exactly why Cuba became dominated by social imperialism. There wasn't even a small attempt, at least not one that wasn't part of social imperialist interest.


Noone said that. We know that Castro read Marx and Lenin. We know Raul and Che were Communists. That still doesn't prove that Castro was a Communist. He didn't actually declare the revolution to be one that had Socialism and Communism as its aims until he realized that he needed support from the USSR.
There is no way it can be proven that Castro has aims towards socialism or communism aside from that of the social imperialists. It moreso indicates that he did not have such aims and only did in order to gain support from the USSR, as there was no indication prior to. Furthermore, just because Castro read Marx and Lenin doesn't mean he practiced marxist or leninist theory, or had such revolutionary aim.

[RNK]

I just realized something.

Raul looks suspiciously like Ron Paul... :O


I actually heard somewhere that they stopped using the convertible peso system (which was a policy with a lot of disadvantages, although it was understandable in some ways). I'll do some research and try to see if this is true or not.

Latest I've seen (a couple days ago) was that one of Fidel's protege's recently spoke out against the conv. peso, but I believe it still exists.

[proleterian fist]

He is old and going to be operated I think and I hope he gets well soon.
He is a big inspiration to all of us namely to young revolutionaries.I hope his brother Raul will serve to socialism in Cuba just like Fidel did.

[chegitz guevara]

Which is exactly why Cuba became dominated by social imperialism. There wasn't even a small attempt, at least not one that wasn't part of social imperialist interest.

Y'all as are as bad as the Trotskyists when it comes to condemning revolutions that don't adhere to your a priori model. The best lesson I learned from Maoism is that living revolutions develop in ways that we can't anticipate. That they don't follow our formulaic models isn't a failing on their part. It's a failing on our part. We're the ones who don't understand, not them.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

You learned that from Maoists? How so? You are talking about a tendency that has a history of condemning workers' states as 'revisionist' or even 'imperialist'(!) and allying with all sorts of forces of reaction and counterrevolution.

[( R )evolution]

First of all, a disclaimer that I am very pro-Cuba.

There are a couple of things I just want to clear up.

Post 1991, Cuba's health care system is no longer a shining example- not by any fault of the socialist system but because of previous soviet dependence and the US blockade.

The hotel business, which has been set up by the army. Are Cuban's allowed to use these hotels (even if they could afford them)?

I am not sure where exctaly your getting your facts from but post 1991 Cuba's health care is still a very very successful and shinning system. Doctors from all over the world come to study in Cuba and Cuba sends many many doctors all over the world to help sick and dying children. And they still manitan one of the lowest infant mortality rates.

[( R )evolution]

If the3
There may be elections, but I doubt they will amount to anything.

The massive gains Cuba made under Castro in the fields of healthcare and nutrition and education will be rolled back.

The ripe fruit will be plucked.

Castro's fall is a sad day for the left.

If the success of Cuba is dependent upon one man then I am sorry to say that we may as well just give Cuba to the bourgeoisie. Castro is not the only communist with experience. Raul, and many other members of the National Assembly are dedicated to the revolution and the socialist cause. If they are true to the message of socialism and change for the better then I have confidence Cuba will be fine.

And Castro isn't dead yet. It is sad how all of our comrades and the the world actually are regarding this like the death of Castro, he is still alive. His enormous sway in the country will no doubt have an effect on the policies. He is still going to continue writing and such. His ideas and message are not dead and will not die even if our comrade Fidel passes.