Fidel Castro In Ailing Health

Fidel Castro will turn 80 next month if his health holds out. Experts suspect he has some sort of cancer that will prove to be fatal in the near future. While the speculation about Cuba’s suture is high, I think it is important to look at their past.

Cuba is a nation that has inflamed American’s since the late 1800’s. There was talk after the Civil War of annexation of the island and after the Spanish-American war it was to become a US protectorate for a period of 20 years. President McKinley abandoned this plan and Cuba gained its independence in 1906.

From that time forward, the US occasionally meddled in Cuban affairs until 1925 when the island nation finally established a stable government. Again in 1933 a military coup changed the islands government again and in 1934 General Batista gained control with the help of the Cuban Army. Later he ran for president and won with broad support from many including the communist party who sought land reforms.

By the 1950’s Batista was loosing power and after it seemed he was destined to loose he next election he initiated another coup and installed himself as President through the use of force. Fidel Castro entered the picture in the early 1950’s with a group of idealistic rebels who sought to overthrow Batista. The ensuing revolution led to Castro being installed as Prime Minister of Cuba in 1959.

He has held onto that position as the leader of Cuba until this year when he temporarily handed over power to his brother for medical reasons. As of 2006 he is the world’s longest-ruling current head of government.

Why is this interesting? Well US presidents from Eisenhower to Bush II have railed against Cuba and it’s policies. We have embargoed and rattled our sabers and to no avail, with the notable exception of getting Russian missiles removed during the "Cuban Missile Crisis".

Today, Cuba trades with most Latin American countries and the European Union. Still the US refuses to deal with one of our closest neighbors. I can only hope that should Fidel Castro die, hat farsighted politicians in the US will seize the opportunity to once again make attempts to normalize relations with Cuba. For too long Fidel has been used as the boogieman to instill fear of negotiations with Cuba. Besides, I hate having to go out of the country to buy fine Cuban cigars.