Fidel Castro resigns as Cuba's leader

Brosnan_fan

MSNBC wrote:

MSNBC News Services
updated 6:39 a.m. ET Feb. 19, 2008
HAVANA - Ailing leader Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba’s president early Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying in a letter published in online official media that he would not accept a new term when the newly elected parliament meets on Sunday.

“I will not aspire nor accept — I repeat I will not aspire or accept — the post of President of the Council of State and Commander in Chief,” read the letter signed by Castro and published quietly overnight without advance warning in the online edition of the Communist Party daily Granma.

Speaking from Rwanda, President Bush expressed hope that Cuba will now begin a transition to democracy. “The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy,” Bush said.

Fully story here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23229795

Dan Same

I'm not going to comment on this, as this is a political thread and I would prefer to stay away from politics, other than to say that I had no idea that Castro had resigned before seeing this thread. AJB: great news and discussion on Bond, but also a valuable resource for international news. )

darenhat

It's been a long time coming...although I suspect that nothing is going to change in the near future. As long as Castro's brother holds the reins, and Castro himself is still head of the Communist party, we most likely we see no overtures of diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba.

The past 100 years has held a bizarre relationship between the two nations, from the mysterious sinking of the USS Maine, the Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs debacle. I know there are many Cuban refugees in Florida who would love to see a change in government just so they could be reunited with their families.

a rogue AI

Hopefully this will considerably stem the trade of heroin-flavored bananas.

edit: We could also make some joke based on the PTS of Octopussy.

Klaus Hergescheimer

Goodbye. Good riddance. Hopefully socialism, which is unfortunately staging a comeback in some sense, will start to exit with him.

Next up on the socialist exit block: Dan Same.