Fidel Castro (if he survives that long), has said he will run for Prez, again, in 2008! He's seeking re-election!? Does this make anyone else laugh, as much as it does me?
Let's see. Fidel was Prime Minister from 1959 until 1976. That position was abolished and replaced with a Presidency, and he held that office from 1976 until last year, when he became too ill to govern. He has been re-elected, every 5 years, since 1959 and holds the record for the longest-sitting ruler in the world: 47 years! So when he says he's seeking re-election you just have to laugh. Ricardo Alarcon, head of the National Assembly says this of Castro: "I would nominate him. I'm sure he will be in perfect shape to continue handling his responsibilities." Of course, he would nominate him! If he didn't, he'd be packed off to some Havana prison to rot away there for the rest of his life. No-one would ever dare nominate anyone else.
Besides, athough it's called the Socialist Republic of Cuba, the Communist Party is considered the only legal political entity, and members are not allowed to nominate or campaign on behalf of anyone. So, even if there were other viable candidates, they would never be nominated to begin with. Unless, of course, it was brother Raul, and then only if Fidel was dead and gone.
And so continues life in Cuba.
14 comments:
That is the saddest thing, the Cuban people have endured so much, his decision is a mockery to their suffering. I have a lot of fun on www.rabble.ca/babble explaining that there is nothing free about about a medicare system that requires blind subjugation to the state.
It's become pretty much an axiom that when you think of Cuba you think of boat loads.
If Mexicans and other South of the border Hispanics would think about it, they'd sneak across from Mexico, hitch a ride to Florida, get off at Miami, go to the beach, swim out a ways and then come back to shore, faking a Cuban accent and crying out for amnesty. They get whatever documentation ICE gives to immigrant Cubans and be home safe! You know, this is so clever, there have to be people doing this!!
BCF, I'ts also interesting to note that they have one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, but who would want to bring a child into such a wretched place. For all their free education and medical care, the rest of their life is sorely wanting. Who cares if you are in the best of health when you have little food to eat.
Yeah, raft and tire-loads. And you're probably right Bert. I'm sure there are people who have considered that. But if you were Mexican, you'd have to be pretty good at dialects/accents to fake a Cuban accent. The Mexican dialect is so distinctive. And you'd have to remember to bring a tire to show that you did ride in on something.
whew, 47 years! wow. :) he has an iron fist yeah know. ;)
Yup, Julius, 47 long ones, but I think it must be paradise to live there compared to North Korea. Saw a programme about that country. Wow.
I wonder if Cuba comes as close to being as black at night as North Korea? I saw a night time satellite photo of that area of the world and the area of darkness, complete blackness, is exactly the shape of North Korea on the map.
No.. I visited there for several weeks in the 80s. Nothing compares to N Korea. They are in a league of their own.
Is that for real... about the blackness. Apparently they have no internet! Very creepy place.
Yup N. Korea is indeed in a Dark Age, literally and figuratively.
I guess after the Mafia owning the Island, Castro doesn't look all that bad. I really hope that some day the Island can return to the world fold and I can travel there. In the mean time I will limit my travels to Belize and Panama. I don't need to go to Mexico, I can celebrate all the Mexican holidays and eat all their food I want right here in Topeka, KS. I really don't mean that as a slam. Sante Fe RR brought workers and their families here and we have a very strong (and Legal) community of some of the nicest people you would ever want to live near. Their Fiesa in the summer to raise money for their Church run school is one of the highlights of our year. Their Food is better than any other we have eaten and we have great places to eat here. MUD
I totally agree, BCF.
And, MUD, I say both are equally bad. The people have suffered under both. It will take years to recover from Castro, if that ever happens. Some major refurbishing is going to be necessary and tons of money.
I think celebrating other people's cultural heritage is a lovely thing. So I don't think anyone would take it as a slam.
My fear for Cuba is that if the people finally stand up to their government and demand change it will be an ugly transition like Russia dealt with.
Interestingly enough, if they ever chose to make their government a true representative government and America freed it's citizens to freely associate, half of Florida would either move to cuba or pour gobs of money into the country. The irony is that if that happened the current cuban citizens would almost certainly become second class citizens because of their lack of wealth.
Let's hope that they don't turn their country over to Caracus in the process.
Yes, Papa J, most of the former communist countries have had a very challenging time transitioning, and still are, to this day.
Hopefully that wouldn't happen, considering most of those people living there now, have relatives living in Florida. We shall see.
And yes, let's hope everyone tires of Chavez's antics.
Are you seriously that amazed that N Korea doesn't have the Internet?
The country has been battered into submission by a psycho dictator and a US/UN Governments that have failed to deliver. The country suffers due to sanctions that need to be lifted, and it also needs access to nuclear power. This power was promised by the US in the 1994 Agreed Framework, but never delivered. The only way N Korea is able to talk to the UN/US is through the 6 party talks focusing on nuclear arms proliferation. This is why N Korea plays the arms card in every negotiation. It needs to be seen to be developing them in order to be able to talk to people. It's a catch 22 for all sides invovlved.
The US and the UN seem to think that the goverment will one day collapse. It probably will, but how long will it take? How many millions more North koreans will die whilst we all sit around bitching about them testing nukes? You can't reason with Kim. Christ, when Albright visited him he put on an Elvis costume for her and sang 'You ain't Nothing but a Hound Dog.' The man is a card-carrying psycho, and leading a country in a way far worse than Saddam ever did, and yet nobody does anything to get rid of him. It's about time our governments did something serious to A: rid the world of this nutter, and b: Hellp the millions of innocent N Koreans who are cut off from the rest of the world and dying of starvation everyday by the thousands.
No, Lambent, it's not surprising. Agreed, Il *is* a certifiable psycho. The problem is, he has brainwashed his people to adore and worship him. So I think it might be very difficult to do anything about the situation there. There are even western websites, with people in *this* country who admire and worship him. One of my next posts is about N Korea and Il. Very creepy.
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