Cuba After Castro

Since 1959 Fidel Castro in complete control of Cuba. He has survived several assignation attempts by the CIA., the bay of pigs, the fall of The Soviet Union, and 10 American presidents. In recent months however Castro has been very poor health. He accounted in August (the same month he turned 80) that he would temporarily hand over power to his bother, Raul Casto, while he had surgery to repair intestinal bleeding. It was later reported that Castro had intestinal cancer and would not be able to resume power. The Cuban government denied the reports and has repeatedly stated "El Comandante" is continuing to recover and will be able to resume power very soon. The Cuban government and the United States government will always be at odds over this subject. I don't think anyone knows for sure if Fidel will ever resume control of Cuba, not even Fidel himself regardless of what he says on television. Honestly it doesn't matter. Castro has made his mark over the past 47 years and the near future does not hold anything different.

Nobody knows for sure how many operations Castro has undergone during the past year. Some papers have reported that he has undergone at least three unsuccessful operations to repair large inst tine. A Spanish surgeon stated last week that Castro was had an only a 20% chance of living. Citing sources at the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid, one of whose doctors flew to Havana to examine Castro last month, El Pais alleged that the 80-year-old's problems stemmed from diverticulitis, a condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Surgeons removed part of his large intestine but a rupture caused peritonitis - a potentially critical inflammation.
The Cuban government on the other hand issued a report on New Years eve stating that Castro was doing quite well and the worst was behind him.

Since Fidel Castro has been sick, his brother Raul has taken over control of the communist island. Raul Castro 75, fought hard beside Che and Fidel against Batista's army in the Sierra Maestra Mountains during the revolution. He had been serving as the country's defense minister before Fidel handed over the presidential powers. Raul however is not liked by the Cuban people and lacks the charisma that his brother Fidel possess. Although many Cubans do not agree with Fidel's government they generally like Fidel as a person. The same is not true for Raul though. Many Cubans have also stated that Raul is a very cruel person- worse than Fidel!

When the clock struck midnight a few weeks ago Cubans all over Miami toasted each other and promised to spent the next New Years Eve in Havana. That is truly ridiculous. It does not matter if Fidel dies before I finish this article, nothing is going to change in the near future. His brother although not well liked, shares the same ideas as Fidel and would never betray his brother by amending relations with The United States. We will have to wait until all of the old school guys who fought in the revolution die, before we see any change in the stance of the White House on Cuba. The Cubans of Miami should give up the idea that the embargo is working and join the other 80,000 Americans that travel illegally though The Bahamas yearly en route to the communist island for vacation and to visit family.

Reports say Fidel is dieing. Reports say he will be resuming control very soon. Only time will tell and history has taught us not to bet against Fidel Castro. History also tells us not to bet on the elderly. I personally think this is Fidel's last stand, but only time will tell. But no matter if he dies before I finish the article or rules Cuba for another 10 years nothing is going to change on the island in the near future.