ADN

Fidel Castro Resigns from Leader of Cuba

Fidel Castro announced his resignation as president of Cuba and commander in chief of Cuba's military Tuesday, according to a letter published in the state-run newspaper, Granma.

The resignation ends nearly a half-century of iron-fisted rule that inspired revolutionaries but frustrated 10 U.S. presidents.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said the U.S. embargo on Cuba will not be lifted in the near term.

Castro revealed his plans without notice by publishing a letter in the middle of the night in state-run newspaper Granma.

"I will not aspire to, nor will I accept the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," Castro wrote. "I wish only to fight as a soldier of ideas. ... Perhaps my voice will be heard."

"The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy and eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections," President Bush said Tuesday in Rwanda. "The United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty."

Cuba's leaders plan to elect a president within days. Castro's brother, Raúl, the country's defense minister, has been named publicly as his successor.

Source" CNN

Damn, dude held shit down...Literally...For 5 decades...By any measure, you gotta feel that's impressive...I'm not sure how that longevity plays in the minds of the Cuban people, however...

"I believe that the change from Fidel Castro ought to begin a period of a democratic transition," Bush said at a news conference in Rwanda during a five-country African trip.

Looks like that this is Bush talk for "let's bring democracy to Cuba by invading this country also".

What Bush was implying was that he is aware Castro's brother, who was left in charge, has long been a proponent of a more democratically enabled Cuba and already started to make headground. There is no way in Rwanda, in the middle of his African tour that Bush has properly been debriefed to respond to questions about Cuba. A reporter basically got in a cheap shot, and he gave it minimal lip service.

His brother has been instituting Democratic reform proposals for years now, but in this hard-assed way that is like militarized Liberalism.. But how this will translate is more likely like a socialist based democracy, than a democratic Republic like the USA.

US embargos lifted would do wonders for that country, though.