SubscribeCastro Gets Surgery, Gives Power To Brother Raul
From his well-wishers at the DNC’s Associated Press:
Ailing Castro gives power to brother
Fidel Castro temporarily relinquished his presidential powers to his brother Raul on Monday night and told Cubans in a statement that he had undergone surgery.
The Cuban leader said he had suffered intestinal bleeding, apparently due to stress from recent public appearances in Argentina and Cuba, according to the letter read live on television by his secretary, Carlos Valenciaga.
Castro said that extreme stress "had provoked in me a sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding that obligated me to undergo a complicated surgical procedure."
Castro said he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his brother and successor Raul, the defense minister.
He said the move was of "a provisional character."
He said celebrations scheduled for his 80th birthday on Aug. 13 were to be postponed until Dec. 2, the 50th anniversary of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces.
Castro said he would also temporarily relinquish his duties as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba to Raul, who turned 75 in June and who has been taking on a more public profile in recent weeks.
If only we could have a smooth succession of power like that.
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13 Responses to “Castro Gets Surgery, Gives Power To Brother Raul”
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July 31st, 2006 at 10:44 pm
‘He [Castro] said the move was of “a provisional character.”‘
I believe that’s what Lenin said when he handed the Soviet Union over to the Triumvirate. So ‘Uncle Fidel’s’ feeling poorly is he? Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial.
July 31st, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Dick Morris was on Hannity & Colmes tonight and said if Raul winds up with the whole anchillada , Cuba will be a democracy in a month!! GO GO Raul!! BTW, how much do you think we could have to collect as a bribe to FoxNews to trade that anti-american pipsqueek, Alan Colmes, to CNN for something tasty looking from their dumpster?? He was cheerleadering for Hezbo tonight, WHORE
August 1st, 2006 at 12:36 am
Don’t go picking through CNN’s rubbish, toby - just wait for them to show up in Playboy to save their sagging careers. In a perverse way, I actually like Alan Colmes - he’s Fox’s ‘token liberal’, almost the counterpart to George Will (ideologically, not intellectually). Mind you, I find him aggravating as hell - but he’s surrounded by conservatives, so he doesn’t get away with BS like the rest of the MSM does. Call it schadenfreude.
If Morris is right, that’s great news about “Biff” Castro and Cuba - and not just for the Cubans. I’ve been dying for a good cigar!
August 1st, 2006 at 9:53 am
Exeter–Glad to see I’m not the only one here who picked up on this story yesterday. :)
Toby–No disrespect to Mr. Morris, but I personally think it’ll take at least a year for democracy to establish itself in Cuba. When a dictatorship collapses, there’s inevitably a period of turmoil before the rule of law fully re-asserts itself(case in point: Germany in the days between the final demise of the Third Reich and the beginning of Allied occupation).
August 1st, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Well, to be fair, Mr. Morris amended his statement on H&C last night, admitting that it could take up to a couple of years for democracy to happen.
August 1st, 2006 at 2:40 pm
NEWS FLASH
Dictators NEVER turn loose of their power ever ! Something is fishy here.
August 1st, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Old Fidel is in Hell as we speak.
August 1st, 2006 at 2:59 pm
1st - You have read my mind. I think this three week recovery thingy is just a cover so hizBro can solidify his power before Bush/Cheny and the rich oil guys get there and take over :)
August 1st, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Well they have to give the snag and her boyfriend, Chaveze time to get to Cuba for the funeral.
Will there be a public ass kissing or will it be a private ceromony?
And lets not forget Jimmah, I am sure he is crying his commie eyes out as we type and making sure he has just the right shade of lip gloss on for that all important kiss.
Libs make me sick, I would say more but SG said we couldnt say certain things anymore.
August 1st, 2006 at 3:28 pm
Imagine the anxiety the doctor performing the surgery must be facing. No matter how futile it might be to save him, if Castro dies, his doctor will be executed immediately, probably his entire family too.
August 1st, 2006 at 3:35 pm
But, But Cuba has the best doctors in the world, just ask the snags boyfriend.
People from all over the world are rushing to Cuba for high tech medical care.
The only problem is electricty may not be available.
A progessive paradise for sure.
August 1st, 2006 at 6:36 pm
If the sorry ass son of a bitch ain’t dead I hope Hurricane Chris kills him with the course this storm appears to be taking.
The libs are fretting and wringing their hands over “GAStro’s” health.
August 1st, 2006 at 7:03 pm
Castro - 80 years old
brother - 75 years old
I hope this SOBs die just like Arafat did. Apparently the only way to get rid of dictators is to let them die of old age. Sad commentary