Comment is free: Fidel’s farewell

To my dearest compatriots, who have recently honoured me so much by electing me a member of the Parliament where so many agreements should be adopted of utmost importance to the destiny of our Revolution, I am saying that I will neither aspire to nor accept - I repeat, I will neither aspire to nor accept - the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief.

Announced early in the morning in Havana to a country with State controlled media Fidel’s end was a low key affair lacking the pomp and solemnity that should accompany the world’s longest-serving leader.

Today my thoughts are with the people of Cuba, the majority of whom have never known anything other than him. The real Cuba lies in their hearts and is a country with the possibility of a great future ahead of them.

Despite all of Castro’s failings the ordinary people will have more questions than answers today. Luis M Garcia writes :

Child of the Revolution : Growing Up in Castro’s Cuba: I hope I am wrong but …

And anyway, does this mean that Castro will step dwon from all his posts? Does it mean he will remain head of the all-powerful Communist Party? Will he really retire and stop meddling from the sidelines, as he has been doing for the past 18 months? And what does he mean when he says that this is not a “farewell”? Why hasn’t he endorsed his own designated successor, Raul, no spring chicken at 75, as the next Comandante? Or is the dictator so sick after all that death is imminent?

See? So many questions.

I hope my friends are right, though. I hope it’s the beginning of a new chapter. I hope I am wrong and they are right.

So is there any good news in this change of power ? Well, perhaps. While US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said today the United States will not soon lift its embargo on Cuba despite Fidel Castro’s resignation John Clancy, spokesman for EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel, was saying :

EU Ready to Consider Thawing Ties with Cuba in Post-Castro Era | Europe | Deutsche Welle | 19.02.2008

“The objective of the EU in relation with Cuba is to encourage a peaceful process of transition to a pluralistic democracy and to respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” Clancy told reporters.

He stressed that the EU’s common position had remained largely unchanged by Castro’s announcement, but said that the 27-nation bloc sought “a sustainable recovery and improvement in the living standards of the Cuban people.”

He said that the EU wanted to reiterate its “willingness to engage with Cuba in a constructive political dialogue.”

It seems to me that Europe is the best hope to retain the uniqueness of Cuba and the charm which brings so many people to it’s shores every year, preserving an amazing health and education system and creating a better political landscape for all.

As Luis Garcia says, “As they say on television, only time will tell.”.