Fidel Fades

June 2008

Europe Votes to Lift Cuba Sanctions

newser | Agence France Presse | Jun 20, 08 8:20 AM CDT

The European Union has agreed to lift sanctions against Cuba, much to the annoyance of the White House. "We see encouraging signs in Cuba and I think that we should show the population in Cuba that we are ready to work with them," an EU official tells the AFP. It's a largely symbolic victory for Cuba and Spain—which lobbied for the change—because sanctions have been suspended since 2005. More »
Ailing Fidel Appears on TV

newser | Associated Press | Jun 18, 08 5:58 AM CDT

An animated Fidel Castro appeared on state-run Cuban TV yesterday, in the first such broadcast of the ailing revolutionary since January. Castro, standing in some parts of the video, was seen chatting in a garden with his brother Raul, the current Cuban president, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the AP reports. The trio discussed the global food and oil crises and the effect of Midwest floods, Chavez told reporters. More »

April 2008

Castro Victim's Family Wins Record Verdict

newser | Miami Herald | Apr 5, 08 3:46 PM CDT

Two Miami residents won a record $253 million lawsuit against Cuba yesterday after Florida jurors approved a wrongful death claim on behalf of their father. The case involved the death of Rafael del Pino, a naturalized US citizen and ex-Castro ally who was imprisoned after turning against the Cuban dictator, the Miami Herald reports. Del Pino’s relatives said the government tortured him, and he died after 18 years in prison at age 51. More »

March 2008

Castro Lifts Hotel Ban for Cubans

newser | Reuters | Mar 31, 08 3:03 PM CDT

Raul Castro has lifted a ban on Cubans staying at hotels designated for foreign tourists, Reuters reports. The prohibition, which had been criticized as "economic apartheid," had frustrated many Cubans since the country was opened up to tourism in 1990. "Cubans can now stay at our hotels," one hotel manager said. "Our doors are open to local tourism." More »
Cuba Ends Cell Phone Ban

newser | BBC | Mar 28, 08 12:50 PM CDT

The Cuban government said today it will lift restrictions on mobile phones for the first time, the BBC reports—a sign new leader Raul Castro is following through on reform pledges. Cell phone service will be made generally available next week; service fees will have to be paid in foreign currency, however, effectively narrowing access to richer Cubans. More »

February 2008

Don't Expect Another Cuban Revolution

newser | New York Times | Feb 25, 08 2:45 PM CST

You won't see him wearing fatigues and making fiery speeches, but Raul Castro is expected to hew closely to brother Fidel's line. Cuba's new president is a pragmatic military man who lacks his brother's charisma and ego, the New York Times reports. Fidel is still party leader, and 31 Castro allies were reelected in uncontested races to top government positions along with him. More »
Raul Castro Is New Cuban Prez

newser | Miami Herald | Feb 24, 08 1:33 PM CST

Raul Castro will succeed long-ruling brother Fidel as the president of Cuba, reports the Miami Herald , after members of the National Assembly voted today. The current defense minister and first VP of the national committee, 76, was the only candidate endorsed by a nominating committee, and his ascent is expected to keep the country on its Communist path, reports the AFP. More »
Cuba Takes a Swing at Golf

newser | Wall Street Journal | Feb 23, 08 12:17 PM CST

Nearly a dozen tony golf-resort projects funded by Spanish, British, and Canadian consortiums are under way in Cuba as acting President Raul Castro tries to lure foreign tourists—and their cash—back to the struggling island nation by creating a new Caribbean golf destination, reports the Wall Street Journal. Castro took over for his ailing brother, Fidel, in July 2006; he's expected to be named president tomorrow. More »
Fidel Looking Forward to 'Vacation'

newser | Associated Press | Feb 22, 08 2:48 PM CST

Fidel can't wait to retire. The soon-to-be-former dictator published a new newspaper column today, telling Cuba he was relieved to be rid of his exhausting presidential duties. “The night before, I slept better than ever,” Castro wrote. But he couldn’t give up his newspaper gig because, “I didn't have the right to keep silent for so long.” More »
How US Tried to Whack Castro

newser | CNN | Feb 21, 08 2:09 PM CST

Despite several assassination attempts against Fidel Castro, the Cuban president stepped down Tuesday on his own terms. The CIA came up with at least eight sometimes-kooky ways to oust the leader, CNN reports, most of which were not carried out: Chemical attack on the air of his radio station. Cigars treated to cause disorientation or his beard to fall out. More »
Steely Raúl's Time Is Now

newser | Times (UK) | Feb 20, 08 9:37 AM CST

The Castro brothers overthrew a dictatorship and won a revolution together, but while charismatic Fidel was the public face giving passionate seven-hour speeches, steely Raúl quietly got it done—ruthlessly sending dissenters to the firing squad, earning him the nickname "the Prussian." As Fidel fades, writes the Times of London, 76-year-old Raúl will finally step into the spotlight. More »
Fidel Faithful Likely to Keep Power

newser | New York Times | Feb 20, 08 7:19 AM CST

Life went on as normal in Havana after Fidel Castro announced his resignation yesterday, and Cuba experts aren't sure how much real impact his decision will have, the New York Times reports. Cuba's National Assembly is due to choose a new Council of State on Sunday and power is expected to remain in the hands of Castro's inner circle. More »
South Florida Quiet After Castro Resigns

newser | Miami Herald | Feb 19, 08 5:16 PM CST

Few South Florida Cubans bothered to celebrate Fidel Castro's retirement today, the Miami Herald reports. Exile leaders dismissed the power shift to Castro's brother Raul as politics as usual for the island nation. "Just because he has given up a title, doesn't mean he has given up power,'' lawmaker Mario Diaz-Balart said. More »
US Should Have Hugged Castro to Death

newser | Newsweek | Feb 19, 08 12:23 PM CST

Fidel Castro has left power, but his legacy endures because the US never did what it took to eliminate his regime: embrace it. Fidel survived for decades because his people were afraid of the angry superpower to the north, writes Newsweek’s Christopher Dickey. Had America embraced him, the Cuban people might have dared to hope for more than his regime could provide. More »
Fidel Steps Down After 50 Years

newser | Associated Press | Feb 19, 08 4:07 AM CST

Fidel Castro has resigned after nearly 50 years as Cuba's leader, the AP reports. "I neither will aspire to, nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," the 81-year-old wrote in a letter published in the Communist Party's online paper today. His brother Raul is widely expected to succeed him as president. More »

January 2008

Castro Rails on Bush Address

newser | Associated Press | Jan 30, 08 1:51 PM CST

President Bush’s latest State of the Union address was his worst yet, according to Fidel Castro, full of “demagoguery, lies, and a total lack of ethics.” Castro hasn’t shown himself since 2006 emergency surgery, but a scathing essay was published in his name in today’s Cuban papers, ripping Bush for everything from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the US' bulging deficit. More »
Brazil Prez: Fidel 'Healthy, Lucid'

newser | Reuters | Jan 16, 08 9:07 AM CST

After meeting with Fidel Castro, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said yesterday the 81-year-old leader was "incredibly lucid," healthy, and "ready to assume his political role in Cuba and the role he has in history." Lula met earlier with Raul Castro, who has been running the country since his brother's stomach surgery in 2006. More »

December 2007

Fidel Flirts With Retiring —Again

newser | BBC | Dec 29, 07 8:26 AM CST

Fidel Castro is hinting at retirement again, this time in a letter read aloud to Cuba's parliament yesterday by his brother Raul, the BBC reports. The letter expanded on a much-discussed comment he made last week about not "clinging to power." This time he admits that he had once longed to do so, from "excessive youth and lack of conscience," but said life had changed him. More »
Fidel's Fit to Run for Re-election

newser | Associated Press | Dec 25, 07 8:20 AM CST

Fidel Castro is gaining weight, exercising regularly, has "full use of his mental faculties," and is running for re-election, says his brother Raúl. Raúl was stumping for Fidel yesterday in his electoral district of Santiago de Cuba, where he needs to be reelected to the National Assembly Jan. 20 in order to remain president, AP reports. More »
Fidel Hints He's Ready to Retire

newser | Reuters | Dec 18, 07 5:01 AM CST

Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro has clearly hinted at retirement for the first time since he fell ill 16 months ago, Reuters reports. He handed over power to his brother Raul last year on a temporary basis. "My elemental duty is not to hold on to positions and less to obstruct the path of younger people," Castro said in a letter read on Cuban state TV. More »

News Sections

Newser Specials

Stories

Europe Votes to Lift Cuba Sanctions

Ailing Fidel Appears on TV

Castro Victim's Family Wins Record Verdict

Castro Lifts Hotel Ban for Cubans

Cuba Ends Cell Phone Ban

Don't Expect Another Cuban Revolution

Raul Castro Is New Cuban Prez

Cuba Takes a Swing at Golf

Fidel Looking Forward to 'Vacation'

How US Tried to Whack Castro

Steely Raúl's Time Is Now

Fidel Faithful Likely to Keep Power

South Florida Quiet After Castro Resigns

US Should Have Hugged Castro to Death

Fidel Steps Down After 50 Years

Castro Rails on Bush Address

Brazil Prez: Fidel 'Healthy, Lucid'

Fidel Flirts With Retiring —Again

Fidel's Fit to Run for Re-election

Fidel Hints He's Ready to Retire

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