Fidel Castro calls for change in the United States
In his first comments since announcing he would step down as Cubas president after almost 50 years, Fidel Castro lashed out Friday at US presidential hopefuls calls for change here, saying the only change needed is in the United States.
In his fifty page column Reflections of Comrade Fidel in the Communist Party newspaper Granma, the ailing Castro, 81, zeroed in on the international reaction, particularly by his US adversary, to his announcement Tuesday of his official departure from Cubas helm. Castro was sidelined 19 months ago after major intestinal surgery, and handed power temporarily to his brother, interim president Raul Castro, 76.
US President George W Bush said my message was the beginning of the road to freedom in Cuba, in other words, to annexion by the United States, Castro wrote. The United States occupied Cuba in the early 20th century and refuses to abandon its controversial base at Guantanamo, on Cubas southeastern tip. That gives Havana plenty of political currency with which to warn almost daily that a US occupation or annexation effort could come at any time.
Posted by: Fred 2008-02-23 |