| Fidel Castro declared that, he is not planning to return back to
discharge the duties of the president of Cuba. The agency AP reported
the news today. In connection with these circumstances, a meeting
of the National assembly of Cuba is planned for the 24th of February, which
should elect the successor to Fidel Castro.
Before a series of surgical operations in July 2006, Fidel Castro
appointed his brother Raul as acting president of Cuba. Fidel Castro,
who is 81 years old, governed Cuba for 49 years.
Legendary Fidel Castro, chairman of the Council of the State and the Council of
the Ministers of Republic of Cuba and the first secretary of the Central Committee of
the Communist party of Cuba, was born on the 13th of August 1926. The date of birth
may not be correct as the exact date and even month of his birth are not known
or may be concealed. In 1949, Fidel Castro graduated in Law from
the University of Havana and received a doctorate in Law. For some time, he
practiced law as an advocate and particularly, took the cases of the poor
free of charge. In 1953, Castro headed the armed revolt of Cuba
against General Batista's regime; however, Fidel was arrested and was
amnestied and released after 2 years in prison. After several years of
the guerrilla war of Batista left the country, Fidel Castro took the
command of the Cuban army and headed the government of Cuba. For more than
40 years Castro held the post of the Head of the Communist Party of Cuba
and from 1976 - headed the Council of state. In the summer of 2006, Fidel
underwent a complex operation and since then, Fidel made very few
public appearances.
On the 24th of February, 2008, the Cuban parliament should appoint members of
The Council of State and also elect its new chairman.
"I do not say goodbye to you. I want to fight as an ideological
soldier. I will continue to write" Reflections of colleague Fidel". It
will be one more weapon, which, it is possible to count-on. My voice
will be heard" – which was mentioned in an address by the Cuban leader.
Fidel Castro in History:
Revolt of Matos:
On October 10, 1959, Raul Castro was nominated for the Minister of the Armed Forces. This caused major discontent to the army commander, based in Camaguey Mr. Huber Matos. Huber Matos, along with his fourteen other officers, tendered their resignation on the same day and accused Fidel Castro of becoming a communist. Later on, he started preparing for a coup. During the night, Fidel Castro received the news on the phone that Huber Matos would start the operation on the morning of October 21st. Fidel Castro ordered Camilo Cienfuegos to go to Camaguey to disarm and detain Matos and his men.
After some time, Fidel Castro himself arrived in Camaguey. The message was flashed on radio that Fidel Castro has come for investigating the emergency situation and all the citizens supporting the revolution should gather in the city square. During the rally in the city square, Fidel Castro addressed the gathered public with a short speech stating that a conspiracy was hatched and headed by Huber Matos, who, at present, was stuck in the regiment barracks. Fidel Castro added that he had come to crush the counter-revolution conspiracy. Fidel Castro invited all who believed in the destiny of the revolution, to follow him. Fidel Castro, unarmed, moved in front and the crowd followed him. He personally broke the lock on the gates of the barracks, disarmed the sentry and arrested the conspirators. Huber Matos was sentenced to 20 years in prison and after release, he was sent to Venezuela, where he joined the militant emigration; his son also became a visible figure in emigrant circles.
Political reprisals:
Reprisals against leaders of the Batista government and opposition members to Fidel Castro's regime (including the former fighters against Batista) started in Cuba soon after the revolution and continued further. Mass arrests were made, especially in 1961, when stadiums and other similar places were converted to keep the prisoners.
Caribbean crisis:
In 1962, the USA introduced an embargo on trade with Cuba and achieved in excluding Cuba from the Organization of the American States. Charges against Fidel Castro's government were that it assisted the revolutionaries in Venezuela after which the Organization of the American States, in 1964, imposed diplomatic and trading sanctions on Cuba.
Chairman of the Council of States:
1965 - Transforms the “26th July Movement” into a single party of socialistic revolution in Cuba;
October 1, 1965 – The party was renamed to the Communist Party of Cuba, Castro is elected as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the party;
December 2, 1976 - he holds the post of President of the Council of States of Cuba.
Fidel Castro has escaped attempts on his life several times. He was one of those leaders, whose life was under constant threat. The American Government and opponents of Fidel Castro and the America mafia were behind these 637 planned and executed assassination attempts. American mafia groups were dissatisfied with the shutdown of the famous Havana casinos and brothels after the victory of Fidel Castro. During the Presidency of Eisenhower - 38 attempts, Kennedy - 42, Johnson - 72, Nixon - 184, Carter - 64, Reagan - 197, Bush Sr. - 16, Clinton - 21 were made on the life of Fidel Castro.
The historical curious thing is that Fidel Castro finally has successfully survived all these attempts on his life as the Presidents of the US, such as Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Reagan.
Wars of Cuba in Africa and Asia:
Despite the fact that small Cuba successfully resisted its giant neighbor, it also participated in many wars worldwide. Fidel Castro did not limit his struggle against the USA; he actively helped revolutionary forces of many Third World countries. His army, at one time, had 145000 personnel, excluding 110 000 in reserve and about one million men and women in territorial armies; 57 000 were sent to Angola, 5000 to Ethiopia, hundreds - to Southern Yemen, Libya, Nicaragua, Grenada, Syria, Mozambique, Guinea, Tanzania, North Korea, Algeria, Uganda, Laos, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. |
This week Fidel Castro has announced his official resignation as President of Cuba and commander-in-chief after almost 50 years in power. The Cuban parliament and Castro's brother Raul will continue running the country.
