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Fidel Castro To Retire

gadling.com — Fidel Castro, Cuba's dictator since 1959, hinted yesterday that he may be willing to hand over power to younger Cuban leaders. In a letter discussing the Bali summit on global warming, Castro wrote, "My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, or even less to obstruct the path of younger people....

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  • GunDownCCL, on 12/19/2007, -0/+23Wow, that took a while.
    • mabhatter, on 12/19/2007, -2/+7what a whimp. He claimed dictator for LIFE... you can't retire from that.
      • Bilabrin, on 12/19/2007, -0/+3That's what he means when he says "retire". Dudes on the way out. We haven't seen him publicly for awhile because he's on death's door. Forced resignation if you will.
        • nicholai, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1I hope this puts an end to the pointless embargo.
    • sotopheavy, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1He will retire in a little bit * ∞
  • DeviantDragon, on 12/19/2007, -2/+43Inaccurate title and a duplicate. The real implication is that Castro has said he might relinquish power willingly rather than saying the Castro is set to retire by next week or something as the title implies. But I'll bury as a dupe.
  • blitzer, on 12/19/2007, -10/+3Fidel has been dead for years. He is the new Elvis.
    • Cwo655321, on 12/19/2007, -4/+4Elvis is not dead, I saw him in my stool the other day.
      • 2shae, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1"Elvis is not dead, he just went back to his planet"
        -M.I.B.
    • DIGGerPhelpsND, on 12/19/2007, -0/+9Wouldn't that make him the anti-Elvis? Castro is alive but presumed dead by many. Elvis is dead but he is presumed to be alive.
  • dngermouse, on 12/19/2007, -3/+4Bob Dole
  • Dysarthria, on 12/19/2007, -3/+2Um, for Castro retirement = death.
    • Tweekster, on 12/19/2007, -4/+0And its a non story anyways. Raul will take over. and things wont change
  • bingobongony, on 12/19/2007, -1/+18ummmm,submitter? Not putting the ? when you copy/pasted makes a HUGE difference in the meaning of the title.
    • gizmo01, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1You took the words right out of my mouth. I hate it when people try to sucker you into a story this way, unintentional or not.
  • nudedos, on 12/19/2007, -0/+3i'm thinking he gauges younger a lot older than it's implied.
    • Gav0510, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Thats just politics in general. Barack Obama is twice my age but he's considered young.
  • SantaClauz, on 12/19/2007, -7/+6Is it just me, or does anyone else think of a hobo every time they see a picture of him? Seriously dude, you need to shave. And brush your teeth.
    • SLockhart, on 12/19/2007, -3/+3In communist Cuba teeth brush you.
      • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Actually, in communist Cuba, you brush everybody's teeth with one brush and the newspaper claims a grand Fidel victory over tooth decay.
  • okthxbai, on 12/19/2007, -7/+6Have a nice retirement, ***** the marielitos that always be hatin
    • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -7/+8No my friend, ***** you and your totalitarian dictator crushes.
      • Sketchcast, on 12/19/2007, -3/+3Funny how you hypocrites ***** all over poor little Cuba while licking Red China's ***** as they prepare another round of roaming death wagons and forced abortions.
        • lgm1213, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1and its really funny how here you are in this capitalist system that allows you to sit there and talk ***** about things you know nothing about thousands of miles away from the people who actually suffer under his totalitarian regime and assume we are liking Red China's ***** all the while you have your nose far up their ass
      • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1I don't know what part of my statement sounded like licking and/or approving of China's governmental *****.
  • cusoman, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2What part of the word "hinted" don't you understand?
  • TheBullMarket, on 12/19/2007, -2/+1Castro turned over power to his younger brother July 2006. What exactly is he retiring from now? Buried for many a reason
  • UncleCrapper, on 12/19/2007, -0/+4It seems obvious that Castro realizes if he clings to power until his death, there is a real danger that without establishing a power base loyal to him other political elements will see it as an opportunity to overthrow the Communist government.
    • JigsawX, on 12/19/2007, -0/+3I would bet big Money The United States already have a plan in place to make sure the communist government is gone when he does retire/Die.
      • lgm1213, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0the US doesn't give a ***** about Cuba. the only part of the country where Cuba is even a slight issue is Miami-Dade County. if that were really the case we would have used our superior military force and "liberate" them from Castro. but here we are almost 50 years later and not a thing.
    • SiNN4R, on 12/19/2007, -7/+2Communism is so over in Cuba after he dies. It doesn't matter who he puts in charge it will simply fall apart.
  • Rev0lver, on 12/19/2007, -3/+2Didn't know dead people could talk.
  • ufia, on 12/19/2007, -13/+18If Fidel Castro had started his revolution over the internetz and was sponsored by white supremacists, we would lovingly call him Ron Paul.
    • RealSurreal, on 12/19/2007, -3/+6are you high?
      • Dundasbro, on 12/19/2007, -1/+3Nah, i'm waiting til Ron Paul gets elected to do that.
    • NonLeftistDiggr, on 12/19/2007, -1/+3See, I knew all these diggers supporting or denouncing Ron Paul were too retarded to actually know what the guy stands for. The dude is a libertarian, look it up. Because a libertarian would be willing to shoot people, or leave the country, to end/flee a government like Fidel's (if it was their government).
  • tmbrwolf19, on 12/19/2007, -9/+18I kinda wonder what will happen to Cuba after Castro is gone (and by gone, i mean dead). I honestly fear that American interests will move in the minute the man dies. I can't honestly see the US doing any huge favors for Cuba. I realize the country is poor, but at least people have something. If it weren't for communism you would see the poverty that exists in Haiti or Jamaica. Not to even going to begin discuss what will happen when all the ex-pats in Miami start demanding their property and businesses back. Regardless, no one can deny the massive impact that Castro has had on the world and the status it has granted Cuba.
    • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -8/+10Once again - you have no idea what you're taking about. If no other Latin American country has the poverty levels that exist in Haiti or Jamaica, why would you assume that Cuba and it's thriving pre-Castro industries and proximity to the United States would be worse off?

      The only "huge favors" the US could do for Cuba are: Freedom of assembly, freedom of press, freedom of speech, free elections, freeing political prisoners, etc. Nothing big, you know. Small potatoes.
      • mushoo, on 12/19/2007, -6/+14"thriving pre-Castro industries and proximity to the United States would be worse off?"

        Because those thriving industries did what they always do, and would have continued to perpetuate everywhere they seed their tentacles in, suck the natural and human resources dry.


        The only "huge favors" the US could do for Cuba are: Freedom of assembly(like here in the US in free speech zones), freedom of press(If by freedom, you mean by a few corporate conglomerates), freedom of speech, free elections(yes like the last two we had here, highly dubious voting instruments and the only candidates those who had vast amounts of corporate sponsorship), freeing political prisoners(Guantanamo), etc. Nothing big, you know. Small potatoes.
        • Sketchcast, on 12/19/2007, -5/+10Sad that you're getting dugg down for telling the truth. As far as the mouth breathing mass of the American TV brainwash generation is concerned, Batista was a saint and the Cuban people were rich when they were slaves on sugar plantations.
          • topapito, on 12/19/2007, -6/+4And you sound like the brainwashed mass you complain about. You believe in ghosts too? It gets old to see people who know nothing about our reality talk about Cuba as if they lived there. You should really educate yourself better about the way of life we are forced to live before you sell us the system, we are not buying, the real enslavement began in 1959. Nobody liked Batista, but the truth is castro was worse. The US has made no friends in Cuba in the past 50 years. I seriously doubt you can influence anything after the ***** dies. I for one, will be one of the ones fighting against any type of US interference if it doesn't directly aid Cuba in achieving it's short term goals. Don't flatter yourselves, the US is a non-issue in Cuba, Europe is taking over the world, we will be wanting to deal with them first. You will just have to stand in line for your sugar. Getting rid of Americans is the only positive thing castro did for Cuba. Keeping you out will be the next smart thing to do for the next government.
        • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -1/+3I hope to go that one day you and your privileged ass can live under the real fear of tyranny. We complain about our government, because we want it to use it's power wisely - but make no mistake my friend, you live in the richest, and one of the freest countriest in the world.

          Let us now criticize your tin-foil hat dictator ass kissing rebuttals:
          1.Freedom of assembly - "like here in the US in free speech zones" - I'm sorry you can't yell "I have a bomb" in a crowded mall, but at least more than 10 people can stand in a corner without getting arrested (like in Cuba.)

          2. Freedom of the press - "a few corporate conglomerates": You ***** cry baby, you think big companies are rigging days and days worth of news of every day? You need to meet some ***** journalists and realize news isn't an RSS feed from Ruper Murdoch's head. In Cuba, the government is the press. When Castro was dying a few months back - they didn't publish a single ***** article about it, people had to hear it from relatives off the island.

          Also, surely you know about this great internet that allows anyone to publish what they see in a matter of seconds. So if mass media ignores something that's actually true and important - you'll know about it. In Cuba, even if someone can manage to get a a computer, most of the internet is illegal!

          3. Freedom of assembly - "dubious elections with corporate sponsorship": At least you get to vote! In Cuba, there is no voting. I believe that sham elections occur from time to time, where the opponent always ends up losing in a landslide and yelling "Go fidel!" as his concession speech.

          I'm sorry that elections take money and that our system of elections is unfair to fringe candidates, at least you get to vote! I feel sorry for you if you believe that every election official in the U.S. is corrupt and that no politician actually gets elected into office.

          4. Freeing political prisoners - "guantanamo": Guantanamo is a horrible thing, but it's for "suspected terrorists" which means that the U.S. is strongly convinced that they might be or might associate with deadly terror groups. It could all be dubious and I think everyone needs due process, but they are at least suspected of a serious ***** crime.

          In Cuba, you can go to jail for saying what I'm saying now. I could go to jail indefinitely for this. Even if I just said this to you in conversation and you told on me. There are hidden Castro spies embedded in every neighborhood in Havana, listening for dissent. And not just for a day, but for as long as they want to ***** hold you in, because you have no rights.

          I hope to god that you and every ignorant, tin-foil hat ***** like you have to live under that ***** for at least two years of your life. America isn't perfect, but you are free and you live far better than most of the world, especially Cuba.
        • xerosawyer, on 12/20/2007, -0/+11. Where is your evidence? Please stop relying on hearsay.

          2. It's not they they are 'rigging' anything it's the fact that the link between corporations and politicians are mutually beneficially, strong and undeniable. Don't you think there is a conflict of interest if the people that own the businesses and the people make the laws? There is always a conflict of interest with law makers and businessmen meet up. Also another problem with it is that the news becomes fueled by corporate agenda's as opposed to ensure journalistic integrity. You seem to have done little research in this area? :-) Look up, you'll be shocked.

          3. Get to vote, sorry how was Bush elected in the first time? Yeah take your 'vote' and shove it and most American politicians are corrupt, actually American politicians cannot even be taken seriously.

          4. Suspected terrorists? Removing the right of law? Honestly don't you learn this stuff in grade 12? People were picked up at random and dumped there, this is nothing more than racial profiling gone absolutely wrong.

          Please take some classes in political theory, geopolitics, history, law and sociology. It will help you a lot.
    • topapito, on 12/19/2007, -6/+10tmbrwolf19, I believe the number 19 tells us your age. You should really do some more reading instead of watching hollywood Che movies. In 1958, our Cuban peso was $1.05 to the dollar. We were the hottest property south of your borders. Sure, we had problems, political ones mainly. But the country was thriving. The country was thriving so much, that in 1959, there were 250,000 residence applications pending in immigration from Spain alone. To compare Cuba to Haiti is to insult the Cubans. Communism brought Cuba to it's knees, Castro made it a carbon copy of Haiti. Please do some research. You are so wrong.
      • mabhatter, on 12/19/2007, -3/+9Cuba was headed to be another "bannana republic", a resort where natives were "tolerated" to live there. Successful while it was convenient for American pockets. You don't seriously thing that Cuba would have ever been a US State... Ha, or enjoyed US-like freedoms (or protections). (US opinion of outlying territory? Hint: Gitmo is on the island of Cuba!! that's how low our opinion of those people is) The only reason Hawaii got to be a state was that we started a war over it 30 years after US businesses overthrew it's legit, law abiding govt to squeeze a dime. Haiti and Dominican are both "free" in terms of capitalism and you see where that got them... American businesses want dictators, just not the communist persuasion.

        American businesses don't want to deal with democracies.. they make terrible zoning laws and want outsiders to pay fair taxes. Freedom of speech is good for big companies but really sucks when you want to pay workers half wages, or they want to have free speech to form unions. American businesses do not stand for American ideals.. in fact they take businesses overseas to seek out places where the rules don't apply to them vs. their competition.
        • topapito, on 12/19/2007, -1/+4And how would you know this mabhatter? You have this on good faith? You my friend, have been listening to too many castro speeches. Frankly, I don't know how you can without being forced to like I was for 36 years. We needed a revolution, but we sure as ***** did not need castro. It would have been enough to have gotten rid of Batista who by the way, was also a dictator. But I would like you to know that Cuba's constitution was ahead of it's time, Cuba gave women their right to vote in 1940, years before you did, it addressed racial issues, giving blacks rights in 1940, way ahead of your country. No one can really say where Cuba was headed when this ***** took over, but you are insulting yourself by believing castro. Speaking as someone who lived 36 years of your wonderful communism, I would, in restrospect, have preferred to have taken my chances without castro. Oh, and I doubt Cuba would have ever wanted to be a part of the US, we are just too ***** proud. There are those that would love it, but those have already moved to your country, and you can keep them.
        • xerosawyer, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1You realize America has been economically attacking Cuba directly and indirectly since Castro started right? Where do you think Cuba would be it hadn't be so relentlessly attacked? Most likely a lot better off.
      • tmbrwolf19, on 12/19/2007, -4/+4What? wow, your reek of class when you base your entire opinion of me on my screen name. Nether your assumption of my age or support of communism are correct. I never said Castro did a Cuba any great favours, but its in a better place then it would have been had it continued to be an American puppet democracy at least in my opinion. You would see a massive rich/poor divide had Castro not overthrown the regime at the time. I for one have actually visited quite a few Caribbean nations. And I can tell you that parts of Jamaica are beyond description when it comes to poverty. There is a literally a city built on the garbage dump because that is the only source of food that those people can get their hands on. Cuba on the other hand is poor, but people have homes. Most have jobs. They have more doctors then they know what to do with, and people are educated. Most Cubans i talked to seem to genuinely think Castro did their country good. They know that things could be better off, but they certainly know things could a hell of a lot worse. Honestly, what they really seem to want isn't democracy or 'freedom', it just material items. Fridges, stereos, etc are all very hard to come by (mostly due to US embargo) so when someone gets something like that, its a big deal for them. I should also point out that its was foreign interests that ran the Cuba of the 50s. Cubans them selves had no real material wealth. Its great that Cuba was 'hot property' but to you really think many Cubans could afford any? Short answer, no. My point isn't whether Castro is great guy or not. Influential, without a doubt. Who would have thought a tiny Caribbean nation could have put the US on the edge of nuclear war, or stood literally on the doorstep as one of the last remaining communist nations. Castro is responsible for that, and that is his legacy. My concern is what will happen after. Will the Cuban people get to decide their fate, or will it be the rich ex-pats in Miami and American politicians. I fear it will be the latter and the people of Cuba are going to be the ones who pay for it.
        • ramiro, on 12/19/2007, -2/+3You are another class warfare-ist moron. "They have more doctors then they know what to do with" and they are almost all trying to flee Cuba, you freaking idiot!
        • lgm1213, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1dude, what Cubans are you talking about. Do you mean you talked to Castro enthusiasts? cause if you forget there was an event in the 80's called Mariel where everyone who wanted to leave Cuba could. That was 125,000 Cubans in that year alone and every year there after Cubans still try to leave illegally for political asylum. Hell because if we have the wet foot/dry foot policy where if they have one foot on dry land they can stay. Tell me how Castro does good for a country where its people are trying anything they can to leave . Ive lived most of my life in Miami and my Grandfather and cousins who came from Cuba all would disagree with you. And they are not part of the elite Cubans in Cuba who get education like you say they all are. Education is free, but it doesn't mean that everyone will benefit from it and the whole country are a bunch of academics. Before Castro there was the rich/poor divide, but you will find that everywhere even here in the states.
        • xerosawyer, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1yea cubans go to america live in the ghettos and their lives are a lot better.
      • DiggasWAttitude, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0Topapito, in your previous quotes you claimed to be Canadian. Are you really Cuban or do you just make claims to make your statements sound more legitimate? I'm not suggesting you are lying, just asking.
        • topapito, on 01/07/2008, -0/+1I have been a Canadian for 3 years now, having gotten my Canadian citizenship in 2005. I was born, raised, trampled in Cuba until 1999 when I was able to leave and come to Canada. I flaunt my Canadian citizenship, I am proud to have finally become a Canadian. I still hold a Cuban passport in order to visit my family in Cuba.
    • Herostratos, on 12/19/2007, -1/+6Prior to Castros takeover farm labour wages were higher in Cuba than in France. Where are they now?

      Cuba is one of the many latin-American countries that were ruined due to radical political extremist. It is a sad case that I can't see any reason to applaud.
    • batista86, on 12/19/2007, -2/+6Are you kidding me? Probably one of the most ignorant statements ever made. Please do research. Cuba had one of the hottest economies and was doing very well prior to 1959. Communism turned Cuba into a Haiti. Have you ever been to Cuba? I seriously doubt it. Poverty there is horrible. That is the objective of communism...to destroy, which is why AMERICA's TOP ENEMY FOR THE PAST CENTURY HAS BEEN COMMUNISM. So please do some research before you mumble any ignorant statements and remember if you ever defend any sort of communism, you are a communism and are spitting in the face of our forefathers who risked everything for your own freedom and insulting all the people around the globe that lack freedom and are impoverished.
      And to see some of the reply comments on this post being dugged down because they are correcting tmbrwolf19 just shows to show me the type of people digg users are. Its easy to defend communism while enjoying freedom in capitalism. Please dont be a hypocrite.
    • Bilabrin, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2I envision a massive resort casino within 2 years.
  • Vergisst, on 12/19/2007, -2/+2It's kind of sad that this only has a tiny tiny fraction of the diggs that "the trippiest simpsons picture" has.
    • KingGorilla, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Most people like the simpsons more than castro
  • gothsquirrel, on 12/19/2007, -8/+4What a terrible terrible picture up there. I'm not a fan necessarily but show a little dignity to the leader of any country, its insulting to the entire country to do that to a leader that is respected like he is.
    • NonLeftistDiggr, on 12/19/2007, -1/+4respected? HAHAHA tell that to people on boats, or the cuban community in Miami. Keep taking the Hollywood pills.
    • ramiro, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2gothsquirrel, you're an idiot!

      What little dignity he gave to the Cubans, you moron?
      • boflaade, on 12/19/2007, -3/+1He gave them back their own country. He gave them dignity. Cubans are no longer servants to rich Americans, that once domineered their country.
      • alkajazz, on 12/19/2007, -3/+1Its alot better than if Batista was kept in power.
    • warnergt, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Disrespecting a dictator is not disrespecting a country. "Castro" and "Cuba" are not equivalent. Castro does not represent Cuba; he enslaves it for his personal gain.
  • Trevor, on 12/19/2007, -1/+3He's not been publically seen in 16 months, or by anyone outside the administration. Who says he's still alive? This is his brother Raul making statements that slowly back the limelight away from his famous brother and onto himself, so that when the 'official' death announcement comes, the new dictator is firmly in place to prevent the inevitable cuban revolution.
  • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -2/+13You gotta love it when totalitarian, unelected dictators that single-handedly rule an island say that "My elemental duty is not to cling to positions."

    Really Castro? You stayed in power for the people who didn't vote for you in elections you didn't have? What a noble guy!
    • multitude, on 12/19/2007, -5/+2Actually, he did have a great deal of support from the people of Cuba. Media in our own country claimed that he didn't, but that is because of the power of the anti-cuban "exiles" who came to the US when Fidel gained power.
      • boflaade, on 12/19/2007, -2/+1You were dugg down, because Americans don't want to face the truth.
        • lgm1213, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0American's who support Castro don't know where their nose ends and castro's Ass beings
      • warnergt, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Maybe that was back when he was promising free elections. Castro reneged on that one.
      • moraldebate, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2Hey, I personally know at least 100 people who've lived most of their life on the island. How many do you know? You have no idea what you're talking about. He may have had support early on, but that doesn't justify holding on to power for the rest of his life.

        If he really believed in his government, then he would have ***** elections.
  • NikoKun, on 12/19/2007, -4/+2You'd think age would grant some kind of wisdom... =/ But lets not get our hopes up, that the next leader will be any good...
    BUT at least... we need to end the silly embargoes of the past... that's long overdue...
  • jveezy, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1I would digg this. Then again I'm not misled by the title.
  • elementalwinds, on 12/19/2007, -2/+2to bad the "Top Communists" won't give up power after he's gone.
  • Wander2000, on 12/19/2007, -8/+12Some of you have a lot of history to read; with comments about giving dignity to him and saying Cuba would be like Haiti without him. Castro is one of the worst human rights abusers in history, it's just that he has fooled a lot of you. He's had an iron grip on that country for years; it's a shame that he will probably die of natural causes and never be put to trial for the countless cases of abuses and the people he has murdered.
    • NonLeftistDiggr, on 12/19/2007, -1/+2Jack Nicholson and Sean Penn say you are wrong and that Cuba is great and they had fantastic meals and enjoyed many luxury's "in Cuba"....aka.... at Fidel's house.
      • lgm1213, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0yeah because that is part of the communist propaganda machine. they butter up american's when they come to cuba like the before mention and when people like Michael Moore come to cuba they put on a nice song and dance and they think everything is great
    • tmbrwolf19, on 12/19/2007, -4/+6While i agree that Castro is less than a poster boy for good deeds. I feel its unfair to single him out. Lets not ignore the fact the US government has been the cause of the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the subjugation's of millions. US policy has created many of the worst dictators and monsters in modern times. This is pretty clear if you read any history, but we aren't calling for trials or justice for some reason. But again, not trying to justify Castro, however I don't think going around and 'installing democracy' is much better. Essentially, there are very few 'just' governments out there.
      • ramiro, on 12/19/2007, -1/+3Unfair is your ass! The other dictators don't matter. Castro is a genocidal tyrant. PERIOD!

        You should just shut up and not try to ***** your way out of that like you did.

        These scumbaggish leftists are always trying to paint their favorite tyrants in good colors.

        In all the places where the left got total power, there were misery, tyrany and genocide.
        • boflaade, on 12/19/2007, -2/+2Your the one who can't face the truth. Americans are banned from seeing Cuba and realizing that Castro is NOT as the US media claims. You can't go there to Cuba and see it for yourself and prefer to get into the old "Commie"rant.
          • lgm1213, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1do you realize that if Cuban embargo was lifted and tourism was a major industry in cuba the only thing Americans would see is the pretty sides of Cuba, its just like when all those College kids go to Cabo or Cancun for spring break. just a few miles beyond all the resorts you would have people suffering from hunger and real pverty because the jobs that the cubans would work aren't going to pay them well and it definitely won't improve their situation. because of American's greed and inability to see the ugliness in the world
  • wipis, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1Yeah he's not stepping down yet. This is a bad title for the article. buried.
  • mal1964, on 12/19/2007, -0/+4What is he finally going to let Lucy be in the show?
  • mca7, on 12/19/2007, -1/+4Aww...he was going so well in my dictator fantasy league.
  • topapito, on 12/19/2007, -3/+6What a lot of people fail to realize is that castro has not been ruling the island since he got sick. His comments in the article are not HIS. No, he is not dead, but may as well be. He is only good to Chavez, to advise him on how to maintain control of Venezuela. Cuba is being run by his brother and the people at the top now. Castro would never willingly cede power like this. I am sure he was told to stay down or die. Cuba is on it's way to changes, no one can hold it together without making changes. They will come. Castro is toast. After castro dies, history will be rewritten, and the Cuban government will have much to apologize for. Castro was the worse thing that ever happened to Cuba and South America. I am sorry that a lot of you are ignorant on this, you should do more reading. Of course, you have your own problems to deal with. You are losing your freedom.
    • xlar54, on 12/19/2007, -3/+2Actually, regarding Cuba, we really dont give a *****. Cuba lost its importance to us about 50 years ago. (Oh, I suppose a few out in San Florida may digg me down....)
      • topapito, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1Thanks for your honesty. If other Cubans would see this for a reality, they would stop looking for the US to solve our problems. Our problems need to be solved by us, not anyone else. It is also our job to educate the outside world, and I have to admit, we have done a lousy job of it. I am hoping my generation is better prepared to lead my country than the last one. I am not in Florida though, but I will digg you up for truth.
  • al1encas1no, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2"Retirement" comes when a person is sixty-five, and is a choice. What Castro is doing is called "being really, really sick and tired of this *****," and is not a choice, but rather, a side effect of being one hundred and sixty-two.
  • BossKey, on 12/19/2007, -0/+3In other news:
    Generalissimo Francisco Franco...is still dead!
  • Flakor, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1But...this gives people an excuse to wear the hat! Noooo!
  • mal1964, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1He is going to a cozy Island getaway to relax and enjoy retirement in Guantanamo Bay
  • digsuxx, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0he just wants a decent beer.
  • Naryuu, on 12/19/2007, -0/+4not clinging to positions? then what the hell has he been doing for the past 50-60 years?
  • Revolution101, on 12/19/2007, -2/+9please end the embargo. my humidor awaits the beauty of communist made cigars.
  • sexydarin, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Fidel died years ago. His body triple is going to retire.
  • PauliJ, on 12/19/2007, -2/+2I hope his retirement will bring about the end to the US embargo that has only hurt the people and has had no effect on the "spread" of communism around the world. The embargo should have been lifted so many years ago.
  • Wholekernalcorn, on 12/19/2007, -3/+2Blockade?? What Blockade???
    http://www.therealcuba.com/whereistheblockade.htm
    • ramiro, on 12/19/2007, -1/+3Wholekernalcorn made a valid point. Who are the leftist SCUMBAGS that dugg him down?

      Stop being such cowardly dictator butt sniffers and at least show your dirty faces.
  • Wholekernalcorn, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2Do average Cubans have access to the internet??? Just wondering...
    • deivys, on 12/19/2007, -0/+2not average. Only people who work in most offices do. Although is very restricted.
  • Wholekernalcorn, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Are there any Cubans from Cuba on Digg? I would like to read their comments on Fidel...Hello??
    • NonLeftistDiggr, on 12/19/2007, -1/+2right, at the risk of prison?
      • DerangedPenguin, on 12/19/2007, -1/+0Jose Marcio here one more time. Michael Moore the Hotel Havana after watching your DVD of Sicko wants you to return the bathrobe you stole and says the quarter you left room service at the end of the week indicates you are one CHEAP gringo.
    • DerangedPenguin, on 12/19/2007, -3/+0My name is Juan Marcos and as a Cuban I think Fidel Castro has betray kkkkkknooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool This is Jose Marcio of the State Police and what Juan Marcos was trying to say before his fingers where severed in an unfortunate typing accident.. He thinks Fidel Castro is the hope for the for the future of all mankind. Cuba is a workers paradise where they are free to work 7 days a week without some capitalist telling them they can't work on Saturday's and Sunday's. Juan is also thankful that the Cuban medical system recycles bed linens and syringes with out the use of costly and scarce water.
    • deivys, on 12/19/2007, -2/+2Hi, I am a cuban and I came here to Florida about 11 years ago when I was 14. To tell you the truth I don't hate Fidel like most people here do. I grew up being poor but overall I had a very nice time over there and i pulled hundreds of pranks. The main reason we left the country was because of economic reasons. It had nothing to do with freedom of speech or anything like that. I know many cubans hold a grudge to Fidel because he took their land from them and stuff like that but since that didnt happen to my family we have a different opinion on Fidel.
  • NonLeftistDiggr, on 12/19/2007, -3/+6He's certainly been effective at some things, too bad Che Guerva was a much more vivid murderer than Fidel and therefore has the monopoly on T-shirts for massive douche bags.
  • Evgen1973, on 12/19/2007, -6/+0tmbrwolf19. Castro great man. But communism it badly.
  • breezytrees, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1awesome. second in command is worse than he is.
  • Pherdnut, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0I would read up more on the average Cuban's lot in life before asking if they have high speed internet.
  • multitude, on 12/19/2007, -7/+3Castro is not unilaterally considered a dictator. Many Cubans support him; our own media is tainted by the fact that our media is conservative in favor of free-market economics.
    • DerangedPenguin, on 12/19/2007, -2/+2Yes if you call living under the fear of getting carted away in the middle of the night, security forces, support. I am sure there are those who support Castro only because they have been brainwashed their whole lives by government run schools in Cuba.
      http://www.therealcuba.com/
  • DerangedPenguin, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0"Now who are you going to kick around?" -Richard M. Nixon
  • logosx1, on 12/19/2007, -0/+0This is a clever move by Castro because it conceptually "de-links" his eventual death from the death of the socialist regime. If he clung to power until his last breath, then people would have a far stronger basis for believing that the Cuban government would crumble at that very moment.
  • amightywind, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1Fidel knows that this is the only way he can avoid spending his last hours hung on a meat hook in the Havana Central Square by his successors.
  • Millsee, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1In other news:

    Cigar shares plummet to an all new low
  • OriginalLucid1, on 12/19/2007, -0/+1It makes it so much easier to retire when you are already dead.
  • solid12345, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1When Castro dies, hopefully the casinos will move back in. Closing those down was the stupidest thing Castro ever did, where do you think all the money for those classic cars from the 1950s came from?
    • bullcutter, on 12/19/2007, -1/+1those casinos are what started a 50-year-long tense & stale relationship with one of our closest neighbor countries. so, all countries should just give into the will of the fat & lazy American so their country can be turned into a giant casino-ridden Sizzler?

      note, not all Americans are fat and lazy, just the ones who don't know when enough pleasure and hedonism is enough. like those who still think classic cars are in.
  •  

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