Friday, August 4, 2006

Raul in Charge: Fidel at Large

Gramna, Cuba's paper of record, stated, "Raul is firmly at the helm of the nation and the armed forces." The front page of the Communist Party organ lionized Raul as a hero in its account of his arrest at the tender age of 22 after the daring assault in 1953 on the Moncada garrison in Santiago led by his elder brother. Rumors of Fidel's demise have reverberated thoughtout the Cuban community in the States, and the recent statements and stories emanating from Gramna are not dampening the speculation.

Cf. http://reuters.myway.com/article/20060804/2006-08-04T113749Z_01_N04409825_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-CUBA-CASTRO-DC.html.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

As I said on my blog, I think he's dead and this is has all been an orchestrated attempt to transition power (as seamlessly as possible) from Fidel to Raul.

Anonymous said...

At first, I attributed such talk as wishful thinking. However, I'm beginning to wonder now that Gramna is beginning to build up Raul as Fidel remains conspicuously absent from the public eye and ear.

Anonymous said...

I don't want to make a habit of cutting and pasting copious amounts of material onto your blog, but Wikipedia has a great entry relating to this news of Castro:  "Generalissimo Francisco Franco Still Dead."  I got it from Thursday's "Best of the Web" on the Opinion Journal online (WSJ):

Well, I couldn't paste it since it is over 200 characters, but go to Online Journal or Wikipedia and search for "Francisco Franco Still Dead."

Anonymous said...

Or, maybe, not dead yet. I Googled your mention and got the context. It is interesting that the mainstream media, including FNC, are not more interested in the story. After I typed that very line, FNC reported that the Cuban Health Minister said that Fidel is recovering and will be back with us soon.

Anonymous said...

"...He don't move no more..."

Anonymous said...

Is he any relation to Baghdad Bob?

Anonymous said...

Great allusion, Joseph! If Fidel is on his way out, I sure hope that I'll be able to soon be on my way in to enjoy Cohibas, mojitoes, and and the sweet senoritas of that special isle Cuba.

Anonymous said...

That was an excellent allusion, Joseph. Perhaps Havana Headstrong?

Anonymous said...

Ola, Jaime, a donde eres tu?

Anonymous said...

Hey, JoeJoe! I fear that my Spanish is circumscribed to hola, cerveza, guapa, etc.: the things one needs to know in a watering hole south of the border. Nevertheless, please feel free to enlighten this benighted soul. (Also, I'll have to check out the Andy Garcia Cuban flic.)