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alp227

(33,301 posts) Wed Aug 14, 2013, 03:28 PM Aug 2013

Cuba's Fidel Castro: didn't expect to live to 87 [View all]

Source: AP

Fidel Castro says he didn't expect he'd live long enough to turn 87 this week after grave illness forced him from office in 2006, according to an essay carried by official media Wednesday.

In a long, wide-ranging article taking up three pages of Communist Party newspaper Granma, Castro, whose birthday was Tuesday, wrote about being stricken with a near-fatal intestinal ailment on July 26, 2006.

"As soon as I understood that it would be definitive I did not hesitate to cease my charges as president ... and I proposed that the person designated to exercise that task proceed immediately to take it up," the retired leader said, referring to his successor and younger brother Raul Castro.

"I was far from imagining that my life would be prolonged seven more years," he added.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fidel-castro-says-didnt-expect-live-long

186 replies

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Cuba's Fidel Castro: didn't expect to live to 87 [View all] alp227 Aug 2013 OP

Viva Cuba! Mika Aug 2013 #1

Do you Viva Russia as well? dbackjon Aug 2013 #3

No. Silly question. Mika Aug 2013 #7

So when the gay HIV postive patients were rounded up and put into concentration camps dbackjon Aug 2013 #8

No it didn't. Mika Aug 2013 #10

But they had no choice to go there. dbackjon Aug 2013 #11

For some, true. Mika Aug 2013 #13

Interesting dbackjon Aug 2013 #15

Fidel Castro was elected as Head of State in 1976. Mika Aug 2013 #17

Sounds that is what you are doing dbackjon Aug 2013 #19

Sorry to be out of step with US popular right-think. Mika Aug 2013 #21

School them sis malaise Aug 2013 #30

I am not a sis dbackjon Aug 2013 #32

At least they are not a plutocracy malaise Aug 2013 #34

Elections in Cuba: joshcryer Aug 2013 #27

Simple concept dbackjon Aug 2013 #33

'Tis you who doesn't understand the Cuba system. Mika Aug 2013 #37

Your summary is near completely untrue. Mika Aug 2013 #36

You've yet to convince me about Candidacy Commissions. joshcryer Aug 2013 #129

Huh? Mika Aug 2013 #136

So you agree that the Candidacy Commissions are the final say? joshcryer Aug 2013 #137

Candidacy Commissions determine the elegibility of the elected candidate for the Ratification. Mika Aug 2013 #154

And the result is a single candidate for each national office. hack89 Aug 2013 #161

Nearly every dicatorship has the trappings of democracy hack89 Aug 2013 #31

Candidates are not selected by parties, nor along party lines. Mika Aug 2013 #38

So show me someone that has run in opposition to the Communist Party platform hack89 Aug 2013 #39

Educate yourself. Start with Oswaldo Paya's Christian Democratic Party. Mika Aug 2013 #41

So a guy locked out of the political process is the best you have? hack89 Aug 2013 #42

Go there and see for yourself. Mika Aug 2013 #44

You have an endless supply of links. Surely one of them can show me an anti-government politician hack89 Aug 2013 #45

EVERY election is free and fair... brooklynite Aug 2013 #46

Just look at the US of A. Mika Aug 2013 #49

The subject is Cuba, isn't it? Un poco de Alzheimer's? n/t Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #55

Why would an anti gov't candidate be selected by the people to represent them in gov't? Mika Aug 2013 #50

It happens all the time in democracies all over the world. hack89 Aug 2013 #52

I already posted a list of such candidates. Mika Aug 2013 #53

Not one of them ran on an anti-socialist, anti-Castro platform. Not one. nt hack89 Aug 2013 #56

Because no anti Castro/anti socialist candidate was nominated by the people. Mika Aug 2013 #58

So there is no room for a minority views in Cuba? hack89 Aug 2013 #73

Cubans are FAR from being in lock-step. Mika Aug 2013 #76

You are the one supporting a single party system hack89 Aug 2013 #82

Where do I "support" this? Mika Aug 2013 #89

Would you support such a system in America? hack89 Aug 2013 #88

Every democratic nation has their own idiosyncratic anomalies. Mika Aug 2013 #93

So Castro is the equivalent of unelected royalty? First honest thing you have said. hack89 Aug 2013 #101

Where do I say that? Your red herrings are simply stupid. Mika Aug 2013 #103

Only dictators or royalty rule for life. Don't see Castro wearing a crown. nt hack89 Aug 2013 #107

Don't see Castro "ruling" for life, either. Mika Aug 2013 #110

Sure - he just walked away from power and has nothing to do with the Cuban state. hack89 Aug 2013 #112

The Castros are Cuba's revered Revolutionary heroes. The Cuban people will listen to what ... Mika Aug 2013 #114

He was (and is) an unelected, undemocratic strong man hack89 Aug 2013 #117

Go tell that to Cubans in Santiago. Mika Aug 2013 #119

ok nt hack89 Aug 2013 #120

I remember the first time I heard about the young men in Santiago de Cuba under Batista, Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #123

Thanks for the post, Judi. Mika Aug 2013 #156

Would you support Republicans deciding which Democrats could be on the ballot? hack89 Aug 2013 #90

Of course not. But, that isn't the case in Cuba. Mika Aug 2013 #95

So you can show me that their system provides equal ballot access to a wide variety of views? hack89 Aug 2013 #99

"Anti Government" doesn't mean "no Government" brooklynite Aug 2013 #57

If persons who ran on such a platform were popular, they'd be nominated as a candidate. Mika Aug 2013 #61

Right wingers are not going to understand anything which isn't beneficial to them. Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #132

Yep. Cubans in Cuba are lazy, uninformed, prone to dictatorship, etc etc. Mika Aug 2013 #138

Eliezer Avila could get nominated. joshcryer Aug 2013 #140

Ballot access? Candidates are nominated by the people, not parties. Mika Aug 2013 #51

So people can garnered popular support through web sites, access to newspapers and tv hack89 Aug 2013 #54

Not unfettered. Like most countries, their are limitations on the duration of campaigns. 6 weeks. Mika Aug 2013 #63

So direct me to the Cuban DU so I can talk directly to Cubans hack89 Aug 2013 #74

OK. Mika Aug 2013 #77

So Cuba is not part of the global digital world? hack89 Aug 2013 #83

It has only connected to the WWW by fiberoptic cable recently. Mika Aug 2013 #91

So now Cubans can join us here at DU to discuss politics? hack89 Aug 2013 #94

Too expensive, for now. Mika Aug 2013 #97

You would think the government would subsidize internet access hack89 Aug 2013 #104

When did you take up mind reading of the Cuba gov't? Mika Aug 2013 #106

Free speech does not require the internet. hack89 Aug 2013 #109

And you've been there when? Mika Aug 2013 #111

So Cuba has free speech? Really. nt hack89 Aug 2013 #113

Often, Cubans in Cuba are ignored... mostly by Americans. eom Mika Aug 2013 #115

Correct. joshcryer Aug 2013 #133

Huh? Is that link supposed to show that I rebuffed your suggestion? It doesn't. Mika Aug 2013 #144

Look at the bottom of the thread. joshcryer Aug 2013 #147

Still, no rebuffing by me. More of your just-make-shit-up tactic. Mika Aug 2013 #149

Mika, you're a gem. Benton D Struckcheon Aug 2013 #84

You can talk to Cubans here: joshcryer Aug 2013 #130

He was more than "locked out"--he was murdered by the state. MADem Aug 2013 #121

Posting rabid anti Cuban AEI blogs? Mika Aug 2013 #165

As opposed to your Granma propaganda? MADem Aug 2013 #168

Where's my Granma sourced posts? I've posted none. Mika Aug 2013 #170

Be careful what you wish for...who's "dishonest" here? MADem Aug 2013 #172

On this thread? On this topic (Paya)? Nope. Mika Aug 2013 #173

I never said "on this post." But there you go, moving the goalposts and yucking it up, as you do! MADem Aug 2013 #174

Why keep on lying? Mika Aug 2013 #177

Yes, why DO you do that? Moving the goalposts, changing the meaning--it's all here for anyone to MADem Aug 2013 #178

Quit clearly you are lying about what I said. Mika Aug 2013 #179

You can twist and spin all day--you said what you said, and it's here for everyone to see. nt MADem Aug 2013 #180

Yep. And your lies are here too. Mika Aug 2013 #181

Mika, whoever smelt it, dealt it. You're the one who started tossing the "lie" word around, not me. MADem Aug 2013 #182

LOL. You just don't like being called out as a liar. Mika Aug 2013 #183

I think you're the one who's been called out, here, Mika. MADem Aug 2013 #184

Being "called out" with a lie isn't being called out. Mika Aug 2013 #185

Poor Mika--you must be very frustrated indeed. MADem Aug 2013 #186

Pay� was harrassed until the day he was murdered....not a good example, that. MADem Aug 2013 #79

Well, I guess that since you make such a ruling, it must be so. Mika Aug 2013 #80

I am not the one making the "ruling"--but I'll believe a passenger in his car before I believe you. MADem Aug 2013 #81

My yucking it up was for your conclusion on Cuba's democracy, not Paya. Mika Aug 2013 #85

No it wasn't--a dolt could see what you were yucking about. MADem Aug 2013 #98

So, you conclude that you are a dolt? Mika Aug 2013 #102

Childish. You are willfully, gleefully obtuse. MADem Aug 2013 #116

I already clarified my post for you, yet you remain intransigent. Mika Aug 2013 #118

Now Desmond Tutu and Swedish parliamentarians are "anti-Castro activists?" MADem Aug 2013 #122

I believe the passenger, too. joshcryer Aug 2013 #131

You could benefit yourself by actually learning about Cuba. Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #69

So this is reason alone to suppress all opposition parties in Cuba? hack89 Aug 2013 #75

ALL "opposition" parties are suppressed? Proof please. Mika Aug 2013 #78

None of those "opposition" parties opposes socialism or Castro, now do they? nt hack89 Aug 2013 #86

How do you know this? You've proven you know nothing about it, so far. eom Mika Aug 2013 #92

Can't prove a negative. hack89 Aug 2013 #96

I've already posted some of the political parties in Cuba, including opposition parties. Mika Aug 2013 #100

None of which actively oppose the government or socialism. hack89 Aug 2013 #105

Really? Mika Aug 2013 #108

They are not opposition parties hack89 Aug 2013 #125

Isn't it amazing? brooklynite Aug 2013 #127

Oswaldo Paya's Christian Democratic Party isn't an opposition party? Mika Aug 2013 #135

Christian Democratic Party members cannot campaign. joshcryer Aug 2013 #141

The others don't campaign, either. They are nominated by others. Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #142

They don't have to, they just have to be the status quo. joshcryer Aug 2013 #145

So, when the National Assembly took the Varela petition under consideration... Mika Aug 2013 #143

Black Spring. Dozens of CDP arrested and jailed. joshcryer Aug 2013 #146

SOP. When in doubt just make shit up. Mika Aug 2013 #151

It is the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) for one thing` hack89 Aug 2013 #148

The Christian Democratic Party created the Varela petition. It was presented to the CUBAN Assembly. Mika Aug 2013 #152

Because the system is rigged to keep them off hack89 Aug 2013 #155

SOP. Just make up more shit. Mika Aug 2013 #157

Lets look at what Arnold August has to say about picking candidates for Parlimentry elections hack89 Aug 2013 #158

Here's the part you ommitted ... Mika Aug 2013 #159

So a single pre-selected candidate per office is democracy in your eyes? hack89 Aug 2013 #160

It's called the Ratification election. Requires at least 50% +1 vote for a candidate to be seated. Mika Aug 2013 #164

Except no one has ever lost an election hack89 Aug 2013 #166

You're not making sense at all. Try to think things through. n/t Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #124

Not for national elections hack89 Aug 2013 #162

I have family there. I visit often. Mika Aug 2013 #20

Gay rights have improved dramatically in Cuba over the years. joshcryer Aug 2013 #26

Some older DU threads on this topic, if you are really interested. Mika Aug 2013 #16

Eres Cubano? Janecita Aug 2013 #23

No Mika Aug 2013 #43

So U.S. American men weren't compelled to go to war? Is that how you see it? Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #62

And how many homeless US veterans are there? Many tens of thousands. In Cuba? Zero. Mika Aug 2013 #65

Oh, we never mention all the homeless veterans in the U.S., you know. What veterans? Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #71

I remember learning that their partners could live there with them & friends visit. Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #59

The Cuban gov't is VERY BAD at being a ruthless dictatorship. lol Mika Aug 2013 #68

The images they conjure are bizarre, no doubt about it. Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #134

Very strange. Mika Aug 2013 #139

Considering all the nefarious plots to kill him ... I'm surprised too! nt rdharma Aug 2013 #2

The CIA has admitted publicly the number of attempts is in the hundreds. Creepy. n/t Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #60

638 ways to kill Castro (video link) Mika Aug 2013 #72

The CIA didn't expect ol' Fidel to live so long, either! marble falls Aug 2013 #4

If his brother dies before him, will he get back in the saddle ? jakeXT Aug 2013 #5

No. Fidel Castro doesn't hold any seat in the National Assembly. eom Mika Aug 2013 #22

Is he really only 87? WatermelonRat Aug 2013 #6

Fidel Castro was 50 years old when he became president in 1976. eom Mika Aug 2013 #9

He was only 32 when he took power 1 January 1959. dipsydoodle Aug 2013 #28

Actually, Fidel Castro did not assume power as head of state until 1976. Mika Aug 2013 #40

The fact that they gave him an title in 1976 doesn't mean it wasn't a one-man show before... brooklynite Aug 2013 #47

It never was a 1 man show. Any other dengrating of Cubans in Cuba? Mika Aug 2013 #48

But North Korea had an election too!!! brooklynite Aug 2013 #64

Maybe there was US style gerrymandering? Mika Aug 2013 #67

Maybe they just make it impossible for everyone who isn't a Republican Korean to vote. n/t Judi Lynn Aug 2013 #70

Perhaps he has several more years in him. David__77 Aug 2013 #12

So have the Cubans in South Florida been wishing for his death for many years. n/t RebelOne Aug 2013 #14

The percentage with that wish declines each year. David__77 Aug 2013 #18

Indeed, the majority now support lifting the embargo. joshcryer Aug 2013 #25

K&R Viva Cuba! idwiyo Aug 2013 #24

I'm glad he recovered malaise Aug 2013 #29

We have empowered Castro with our ridiculous blockade. Paladin Aug 2013 #35

Good Genes And Cussedness Help Vogon_Glory Aug 2013 #66

Neither did the CIA. rug Aug 2013 #87

Amazing brisas2k Aug 2013 #126

Castro sucks. Communism sucks. One-party authoritarian states suck. Throd Aug 2013 #128

It is a great satisfaction to dance on the graves of all his old enemies, I would think. bemildred Aug 2013 #150

Castro may go down as being another Ataturk Harmony Blue Aug 2013 #153

It is hard to imagine Cuba will not change significantly once the Castro's are gone hack89 Aug 2013 #163

Happy birthday, Fidel. n/t Comrade Grumpy Aug 2013 #167

Cuba will outlast Castro. Pterodactyl Aug 2013 #169

Cuba is not Castro. Mika Aug 2013 #171

And Castro is not Cuba. Pterodactyl Aug 2013 #175

amazing joelz Aug 2013 #176