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Author Topic: Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul  (Read 17173 times)

Offline Steve_YYZ

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BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« on: July 31, 2006, 10:02:00 PM »
BREAKING NEWS ON CNN AND CUBAN STATE MEDIA TONIGHT
 
 ====================================
 
 Castro hands power to brother during surgery
 
 Cuban President Fidel Castro is transferring power provisionally to brother Raul while he undergoes an operation, Cuban TV announces.
 
 Monday, July 31, 2006; Posted: 9:42 p.m. EDT (01:42 GMT)
 
 HAVANA, Cuba (CNN) -- Cuban President Fidel Castro was undergoing intestinal surgery and provisionally handed over power in the Communist island nation to his brother Raul, according to a statement read on Cuban television Monday night.
 
 Castro will turn 80 on August 13; he is about five years older than Raul, who has been publicly named as his brother's successor as president.
 
 Fidel Castro, Cuba's leader since 1959, joked last week that he had no plans to still hold power when he turns 100, Reuters reported.
 
 Castro's surgery came just weeks after a U.S. government report called for the United States to have assistance in Cuba within weeks of Castro's death to support a transitional government and help move the country toward democracy.
 
 ===========================================
 And from the Associated Press
 
 Castro relinquishes power to brother
 
 Associated Press
 Mon, Jul. 31, 2006
 
 Cuban president Fidel Castro, shown with brother Raul, right, in a Cuban Parliament session in 2004, announced Monday night in a letter read by his secretary live on state television that due to illness he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his brother.HAVANA - Fidel Castro announced Monday night in a letter read by his secretary live on state television that due to illness he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his brother and successor Raul, the defense minister.
 
 In the letter read by his secretary Carlos Valenciaga, Castro said he had suffered gastrointestinal bleeding, apparently due to stress from recent public appearances in Argentina and Cuba, and had to undergo an operation.

bellagio

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2006, 04:10:00 AM »
Thanks Steve for that interesting news.   As soon as I got up this morning and put the TV I noticed that it had made the news on teletext:
 
 This is an article from the BBC's website:
 
  Castro steps aside after surgery
 
 The following has not been reported at all, as far as I can see, but makes interesting reading and certainly gets MY support:
 
 Granma International - English Edition
 
 N E W S -  Havana. July 31, 2006
 
 200 British MPs from different parties have signed a Commons motion calling on the UK and the EU to promote better relations with Cuba.
 
 The coincidently numbered Motion 1959 —titled The EU’s Common Position on Cuba, filed by Ian Gibson, Labor Party legislator and president of the Multiparty Cuba Working Group— demonstrates that a large number of British MPs do not support the Bush administration’s policy against the island, just days after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced new measures to force a “regime” change in Cuba.
 
 The motion contains an explicitly negative statement against the so-called “Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba” created by the Bush administration, which proposes that the White House intensify its pressure on Cuba and the international community in order to guarantee support for its plan to eventually overthrow the Cuban government. That plan, which is documented in the report published July 10, 2006, includes the creation of an $80-million fund to “promote democracy” in Cuba.
 
  According to Ian Gibson, that operation is in violation of UN statutes, would destroy peace and stability throughout the Caribbean, and would have serious consequences for European countries with interests in the region. Cuba does not represent any threat to other nations, therefore its right to self determination must be defended and protected, states the motion.

bellagio

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2006, 04:22:00 AM »
Here is the traslated text of the statement taken from the BBC's website:
 
  Translated text
 
 Text: Castro cedes powers  
 
 Cuban TV broadcast Castro's statement
 Cuban leader Fidel Castro has temporarily delegated power to his brother Raul after suffering intestinal bleeding which required surgery.
 The proclamation on the handover - the text of which follows - was read out on Cuban TV by Castro's personal assistant Carlos Manuel Valenciaga on 1 August.
 
  Proclamation by the commander in chief to the people of Cuba:
 
 As result of the great effort exerted to visit the Argentine city of Cordoba, to participate in the Mercosur meeting, the closing of the People's Summit in the historic University of Cordoba, and to visit Alta Gracia, the city where Che [Guevara] grew up, together with my participation in the commemoration in Granma and Holguin Provinces of the 53rd anniversary of the assaults on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Garrisons on 26 July 1953, days and nights of nonstop work with hardly any sleep lead my health, which has withstood every test, to undergo extreme stress and a breakdown.
 
 This resulted in an acute intestinal crisis with persistent bleeding which forced me to undergo a complicated surgical procedure. All the details of this health incident are evidenced in the x-rays, endoscopies, and video record.
 
 The surgery makes it necessary for me to take several weeks of rest away from my duties and posts.
 
 Since our country is threatened by the US Government under circumstances such as these, I have made the following decisions:
 
 
 I provisionally delegate my functions as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba to its second secretary, comrade Raul Castro Ruz.
 
 I provisionally delegate my functions as commander in chief of the heroic Revolutionary Armed Forces to the aforementioned comrade, Army General Raul Castro.
 
 I provisionally delegate my functions as president of the Council of State and Government of the Republic of Cuba to the first vice president, comrade Raul Castro Ruz.
 
 I provisionally delegate my responsibilities as head of the national and international public health programme to the Politburo member and public health minister, comrade Jose Ramon Balaguer Cabrera.
 
 I provisionally delegate my responsibilities as head of the national and international education programme to comrades Jose Ramon Machado Ventura and Esteban Lazo Hernandez, members of the Politburo.
 
 I provisionally delegate my responsibilities as head of Cuba's national Energy Revolution programme and collaboration with other countries in this area to comrade Carlos Lage Davila, member of the Politburo and secretary of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers.
 The corresponding funds for these three programmes; health, education, and energy, should continue to be managed and administered, as I have personally done, by comrades Carlos Lage Davila, secretary of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers, Francisco Soberon Valdes, minister and president of the Central Bank of Cuba, and Felipe Perez Roque, minister of foreign relations, who worked with me in these duties and should form a commission to that end.
 
 Our glorious Communist Party, with the support of the mass organisations and all the people, has the mission of taking on the task given them in this proclamation.
 
 The summit of the Non-Aligned Countries, which will be held from 11-16 September, should receive the greatest attention of the Cuban nation and state and be held with the highest level of excellence on the planned date.
 
 I plead that the thousands of personalities who so generously planned to celebrate my 80th birthday this 13 August postpone the celebration until 2 December of this year, the 50th anniversary of the Granma landing.
 
 It is my request that the party's Central Committee and the National Assembly of the People's Government firmly support this proclamation. I have not the slightest doubt that our people and our Revolution will fight until the last drop of blood to defend these and other ideas and measures that may be necessary to safeguard this historic process.
 
 Imperialism will never be able to crush Cuba. The battle of ideas will continue.
 
 Long live the fatherland.
 
 Long live the Revolution.
 
 Long live socialism.
 
 Onward to victory forever.

Offline debmich

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2006, 09:47:00 AM »
I was a little shocked when I opened my news page and found the same article!
 Not sure if I would want to be there now, or not want to be there now?  
 
 
 Debbie

millybess

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2006, 10:38:00 AM »
Definitely uncertain times in Cuba.
 
 I heard that he was supposed to read the statement himself and then had someone else do it for him.
 
 Has there been a date mentioned when he is expected to return?
 
 Aren't his official birthday celebrations to be held on August 13th?  I wonder if that will still happen.
 
 Apparently not much is known about Raul and there seems to be speculation that he might be more agreeable to dealing with the U.S.

bellagio

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2006, 10:50:00 AM »
All the uncertainty has not deterred me from still looking forward to my next two holidays there.

Offline debmich

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2006, 10:54:00 AM »
Millybess the article I read this morning said that his birthday celebrations are being pushed to December 2nd to coincide with other celebrations!
  Article
 "Fidel Castro seemed optimistic of recovery, asking that celebrations scheduled for his 80th birthday on Aug. 13 be postponed until Dec. 2, the 50th anniversary of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces."
 
 Debbie

Offline Milli

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2006, 10:56:00 AM »
:th:  Apparently Fidel has requested that his birthday celebration be postponed until December.  That would seem the sensible thing with this being major surgery.
 This will not deter me from continuing to look for a booking in late October but I will be watching for any fall out for sure.
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Offline PastorAsh

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2006, 11:20:00 AM »
It's funny how quickly CNN pulls this story out of their "archives" for everyone to see "what will happen" in the eventual death of Castro.
 
  CNN Story
 
 What I find most humorous is that it calls for the US government to be in Cuba within weeks of Castro's death to start changing things over to democracy. Somehow I doubt that will happen so quickly, though I surmise it will eventually happen.
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Offline Gambitt

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2006, 02:12:00 PM »
I hate to be a doom-sayer, but I think this time it might not bode well for old Fidel.
 
 His statement is a little too "all encompassing"... all of his powers divested.  This doesn't look like a short term deal.
 
 Of course, their are souces out there who say he's already gone, but that's happened before.
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Offline Bulldog

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2006, 02:17:00 PM »
U.S. Has Plan to Aid Post-Castro Cuba
 By GEORGE GEDDA , 08.01.2006, 12:45 PM
 
 
 The Bush administration said Tuesday it is monitoring the health crisis of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, as officials restated their goal of helping to ensure a democratic transition on the island.
 
 Three weeks before the official announcement in Havana of Castro's deteriorating health, a U.S. presidential commission called for an $80 million program to bolster non-governmental groups in Cuba for the purpose of hastening an end to the country's communist system.
 
 The report also proposed "assistance in preparing the Cuban military forces to adjust to an appropriate role in a democracy." It provided no details on this point.
 
 
  MORE

bellagio

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2006, 03:43:00 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Gambitt:
 Of course, their are souces out there who say he's already gone, but that's happened before.
He was in Argentina the other week and in Holguin as recently as 26th July.
 
 However Eric I am inclined to believe that the first part of your statement may well be true.

Offline Steve_YYZ

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2006, 03:50:00 PM »
Newswires are now saying that Castro survived his surgery and is resting comfortably.
 
 Time will tell what the truth really is.

millybess

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2006, 07:11:00 PM »
From CNN:
 
 Fidel Castro says his health situation is "stable" and he's in "good spirits," according to a message aired on Cuban television Tuesday evening.

millybess

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Re: BREAKING NEWS - Fidel hands power to Raul
« Reply #14 on: August 01, 2006, 07:23:00 PM »
Castro Says He's Stable After Surgery
 By VANESSA ARRINGTON
 Associated Press Writer
 
 HAVANA (AP) -- Fidel Castro said Tuesday that his health was stable after surgery, according to a statement read on state television, as the Communist government tried to impose a sense of normalcy on the island's first day in 47 years without Castro in charge.
 
 Castro, who temporarily handed power to his younger brother Raul on Monday night after undergoing intestinal surgery, indicated the surgery was serious when he said: "I can not make up positive news."
 
 But he said his health was "stable," and "as for my spirits, I feel perfectly fine," according to the statement read by moderator Randy Alonso on a daily public affairs program.
 
 Castro expressed his gratitude for the good wishes he received from leaders and supporters around the world, and called on Cubans to remain calm and maintain their daily routines.
 
 "The country is prepared for its defense," he said in the statement. "Everyone needs to struggle, and work."
 
 Castro's comments came after Parliament Speaker Ricardo Alarcon dismissed suspicions among anti-Castro exiles that the Cuban leader was dead, said the president's "final moment is still very far away."
 
 Raul Castro, the island's acting president, was nowhere to be seen as Cubans began to worry about what comes next and exiles in Miami celebrated a development they hoped signaled the death of a dictator. Cuban dissidents kept a low profile while watching for signs of Castro's condition.
 
 "Everything's normal here - for the moment," said hospital worker Emilio Garcia, 41, waiting for a friend at a Havana hotel. "But we've never experienced this before - it's like a small test of how things could be without Fidel."
 
 Alarcon rejected the notion that Castro's condition could be critical. He told the government's Prensa Latina news service that the Cuban leader is known for fighting to the very end, but said his "final moment is still very far away."
 
 Alarcon also expressed disgust over celebrations taking place in Miami's Cuban exile community, "vomit-provoking acts" he said were being led by "mercenaries and terrorists."
 
 He called on Cubans to unite and follow the example of Castro, who "watches over every detail and takes measures to confront any enemy aggression."
 
 The main newscast on state-run TV gave no details of the 79-year-old leader's condition, but ran a string of man-on-the-street interviews with Cubans wishing him well and professing confidence in the revolution's staying power. The anchor said Castro had the people's "unconditional support."
 
 It was unknown when or where the surgery took place or where Castro was recovering. Alarcon called the surgery a "delicate operation" but provided no details.
 
 The Venezuelan government, Cuba's closest ally, said Cuban officials reported Castro was "advancing positively" and leftist Argentine lawmaker Miguel Bonasso said Castro aides told him the leader was resting peacefully.
 
 Alarcon said Castro made a point of delegating all responsibilities when his doctors told him to rest - a decision he said was made by a man "who was completely conscious and able to adopt these resolutions."
 
 Castro had been seen frequently in recent days, delivering speeches in eastern Cuba during a revolutionary holiday and making waves at a trade summit in Argentina. Those back-to-back trips and the resulting stress "ruined" his health, according to his letter.
 
 "It's so surprising, because in Argentina he gave off such a strong political image and looked quite vital," said Rafael Marti, a businessman from Spain visiting Cuba with his wife. He said he didn't expect rapid change on the island 90 miles south of Florida.
 
 Cubans agreed nothing was likely to change overnight - especially not with Castro's fiercely loyal brother at the helm. Raul Castro, who turned 75 in June, has been his brother's constitutional successor for decades and has assumed a more public profile in recent weeks.
 
 The calm delivery of the announcement appeared intended to signal that any transition of power would be orderly. Yet some feared resentment over class divisions could spark conflict if a political vacuum develops.
 
 "It's better for things to move slowly, instead of abrupt change," Garcia said. "But people are a bit nervous - anything could happen."
 
 Dissidents said they expected the government to be on the defensive, with a high security presence and a low tolerance for political acts.
 
 "It's clear that this is the start of the transition," said activist Manuel Cuesta Morua. "This gives Cuba the opportunity to have a more rational leadership" because top leaders will be forced to work together rather than following one man.
 
 Officials halted some interviews by journalists Tuesday, with one plainclothes officer ejecting an Associated Press reporter from a cafe for asking questions. People on the street were reluctant to talk to foreign journalists, and many declined to give full names.
 
 "We've been asked to keep things normal here, and to make sure that the revolution continues," said Daniel, a young social worker.
 
 Government work centers brought employees together for small rallies throughout Havana.
 
 "For this man, we must give our life," a customs worker told a crowd waving Cuban flags and shouting "Long live Fidel!"
 
 Elsewhere, it looked like a regular day in Havana, with people packed into buses and standing in line outside stores.
 
 Across the Florida straits in Miami, where hundreds of thousands of fleeing Cubans have settled, boisterous celebrations Monday night gave way to speculation about what would happen in Cuba when Castro dies. Car horns still blared, but some cautioned the celebrations may have been premature.
 
 Many Cubans on the island thought the Miami celebrations were in poor taste.
 
 "We aren't going to celebrate someone's illness," said a waitress who wouldn't give her name.
 
 The leaders of China, Venezuela, Bolivia and Mexico wished Castro well.
 
 He has been the world's longest-ruling head of government, and his ironclad rule has ensured Cuba's place among the world's five remaining communist countries, along with China, Vietnam, Laos and North Korea.