This is not a rumor. From Reuters:
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban President Fidel Castro underwent intestinal surgery on Monday and delegated government functions provisionally to his younger brother Raul Castro, the government said in a televised statement signed by the Cuban leader.
Castro, who turns 80 on August 13 and has led Cuba since a 1959 revolution, delegated his posts as first secretary of the ruling Communist Party, commander in chief of the armed forces and president of the executive council of state to his brother.
Let's hope this guy is on his last legs. He's one of world's worst dictators who has kept his citizens caged like animals. He can not leave this world fast enough.
Update: Babalu Blog is the place to be for Castro updates. Val reports that people in Little Havana are in the streets celebrating. Watch the video here. Some are convinced the announcement that he's having surgery means he's already dead.
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Comments (11)
If he's getting his surgery... (Below threshold)1. Posted by James Cloninger | July 31, 2006 10:24 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If he's getting his surgery in one of the "people's" hospitals (see babalu's blog for pics), he's probably already dead.
I sure though, he has his own private hospital with the finest of care, not available to anyone else in the country...except for tourists.
1. Posted by James Cloninger | July 31, 2006 10:24 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2006 22:24
2. Posted by macofromoc | July 31, 2006 10:37 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's a day of mourning at the NYT's I'm sure.
2. Posted by macofromoc | July 31, 2006 10:37 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2006 22:37
3. Posted by macofromoc | July 31, 2006 10:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Also, if Fidel meets leaves us where does that leave Hugo Chavez?
3. Posted by macofromoc | July 31, 2006 10:44 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2006 22:44
4. Posted by Ozzie | July 31, 2006 11:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I just hope they could open their eyes and leave comunism behind without taking innocent blood. I mean come one! move on! Nothing good comes from comunism!
4. Posted by Ozzie | July 31, 2006 11:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2006 23:04
5. Posted by Violence Worker | July 31, 2006 11:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Whether he lives or dies, I hope it hurts like Hell!
VW
5. Posted by Violence Worker | July 31, 2006 11:16 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2006 23:16
6. Posted by steve | July 31, 2006 11:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
When Castro kicks it and the real estate bull market kicks off in Cuba, get in early and buy like hell.......................It's going to go out the roof............................
6. Posted by steve | July 31, 2006 11:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2006 23:57
7. Posted by Adjoran | August 1, 2006 2:55 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I would caution my friends against premature celebration. Those of us old enough to remember Generalissimo Franco of Spain may recall the long lingering he subjected the world to before dying. The early days of Saturday Night Live ran gag news reports later: "Gen. Franco is STILL DEAD!"
The sooner Fidel and his foul sibling Raul die, the better Cuba and humanity will be. Once the regime is overthrown, in ten years Cuba will again be the jewel of the Carribean, a more vibrant, alive, and thriving place than ever.
To Jules Zell, Cuban patriot, wherever you are: I wish you could have lived to see the day, Julio! ¡Vaya con Dios!
;-D
7. Posted by Adjoran | August 1, 2006 2:55 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 1, 2006 02:55
8. Posted by Lizzie | August 1, 2006 4:28 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I don't know why this is such a cause for celebration - it's not like Raul is going to be any better, is it?
8. Posted by Lizzie | August 1, 2006 4:28 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 1, 2006 04:28
9. Posted by hermie | August 1, 2006 7:35 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Usually when a dictator's sibling is handed power, it is a short time before the sibling is overthrown.
Siblings usually do not have the kind of status, charisma, or control that the dictator had; thus they are far more vunerable to being deposed.
9. Posted by hermie | August 1, 2006 7:35 AM |
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Posted on August 1, 2006 07:35
10. Posted by OregonMuse | August 1, 2006 10:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Once the regime is overthrown, in ten years Cuba will again be the jewel of the Carribean, a more vibrant, alive, and thriving place than ever.
I fervently hope so. Cuba is a beautiful country, only not so much since Castro trashed it. But do you think it will only take ten years to recover? It seems to me that the destruction has been going on for so long that it's going to take a lot longer, unfortunately. Say, 20 or 30 years.
10. Posted by OregonMuse | August 1, 2006 10:09 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 1, 2006 10:09
11. Posted by Mitchell | August 1, 2006 11:41 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
And Oliver Stone, Harry Belafonte and company will mourn the passing for the great man who did so much for the poor of Cuba.
Yes, the SUB-standard health care, grinding poverty, state control of everything, political murder and imprisonment, the cult of personality.
Yes, it's a liberal's dream come true.
Here's to a prolonged and agonizing death, for all those poor souls Fidel "helped."
11. Posted by Mitchell | August 1, 2006 11:41 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 1, 2006 11:41