Fidel - The end is near?

[AlohaStyle]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/19/fidel-castro-stroke-cuba_n_1983856.html

Fidel Castro Stroke Reported: Physician Claims Former Cuba Leader 'Very Close To A Neurovegetative State'


Posted: 10/19/2012 12:03 am EDT Updated: 10/19/2012 12:25 am EDT


Fidel Castro has suffered a serious, "embolic" stroke, according to a Venezuelan physician cited by The Miami Herald.
Jose Marquina, who spoke with El Nuevo Herald and claims "firsthand sources and information" about Castro's health, described the former leader's condition as "very close to a neurovegetative state." Castro is reportedly incapacitated, and "has trouble feeding, speaking and recognizing faces," Marquina said.

Rumors about the former dictator's supposedly failing health have surged in recent weeks. On Oct. 11, Venezuelan journalist Nelson Bocaranda said his death was imminent. Cuban state media released a statement on Wednesday that was purportedly written by Castro.

According to The Miami Herald:

Castro is in his home in El Laguito, Havana, receiving constant and specialized medical care, Marquina said. The idea of the Cuban authorities and Castro’s family is to maintain him alive and far from public view, the doctor said.
'He could last weeks like that, but what I can say is that we’ll never again see him in public,' said Marquina in a telephone interview from Naples.

The one-time revolutionary's last public appearance was in March, when he had an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

 

[alloy]

Probably see him one more time after he passes. Celebration in Havana to him.

 

[Trent0341]

I wonder what affect, if any, his death will have on the embargo?

 

[mwlabel]

I wonder what affect, if any, his death will have on the embargo?

None. His replacement is worse than he is.

 

[CigarGavin]

I wonder what affect, if any, his death will have on the embargo?

None. His replacement is worse than he is.

Very true his brother has been the sworn leader since 2008, an an interm from 2006 after his (fidels) health started to fail

 

[Rupe]

I wonder what affect, if any, his death will have on the embargo?

None. His replacement is worse than he is.

Not sure that I agree with that. Raul has actually enacted several economic and social reforms and is considered more moderate than his older brother. According to Wikipediia (I know not always the best source)


After assuming temporary control over the presidency, Raúl Castro was elected as the new president during a legislative session held at Cuba's Palace of Conventions in Havana. The 597 deputies unanimously elected a 31-member Council of State for a term of five years, which in turn elected Raul as president.[26] His administration has since announced several economic reforms. In March 2008, the government removed restrictions against the purchase of numerous products not available under Fidel Castro's administration including DVD-players, computers, rice cookers and microwaves.[27] In an effort to boost food production, the government turned over unused state-owned land to private farmers and cooperatives and moved much of the decision-making process regarding land use from the national level to the municipal level.[28]

In mid-2008, the government overhauled the salary structure of all state-run companies so that harder-working employees could be rewarded with higher wages.[29] In addition, the government has removed restrictions against the use of cell phones and is investigating travel restrictions on Cubans.[27]

In regards to relations with the U.S., Raúl Castro said in an interview:


The American people are among our closest neighbors. We should respect each other. We have never held anything against the American people. Good relations would be mutually advantageous. Perhaps we cannot solve all of our problems, but we can solve a good many of them.[30]

In March 2009, Raúl Castro dismissed some officials.

In April 2011 Raúl announced a plan of 300 economic reforms similar to the Chinese economic model, among them are the limitation of presidential mandates including himself, encouraging private initiative, reducing state spending, encouraging foreign investment and agrarian reforms.


The scary thing is that no one really knows much about the leadership that will take over after Raul. Raul is by no means a young man at 81 and probably doesn't have much time left either. Hopefully his successor will continue the reforms and bring Cuba back into harmony with the US.

 

[pbibby]

Either way, I think we all know it will still be a very long time before it fully ends. You may see some less strict travel policies and such but I doubt anything really significant.

 

[U-Boat Commander]

Raul is 81 yrs old. He can't be far behind. Perhaps then the embargo will end.

 

[SDShark]

Raul is 81 yrs old. He can't be far behind. Perhaps then the embargo will end.

One can only hope!

 

[FuenteSmoker]

I doubt this will have little if any effect to our laws.

 

[ywendyh]

For some reason I don't see Castro's death as a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the embargo being lifted, neither do I see that happening when his brother Raul takes over. I think the embargo will only be lifted after both Fidel and Raul are dead. With them out of the picture Cuba faces an enormous amount of change and it will be too much for the "old guard" to stop. Assuming Fidel kicks the bucket first and Raul follows, I can't help but think about how it will play out in the US political scene. If Obama is re-elected he may be more inclined to lift the embargo before he leaves office, gives the democrats leverage. If Romney wins in November and Cuba's old guard is gone during his first term he may use the embargo as a re-election tool -- especially with Latino's being an hugely important voting demographic. There is huge strategy at play here for both sides so it can go in any number of directions.

Fidel has always been very vocal when Hugo Chavez has won re-election in Venezuela because he views it as an enormous victory for "La Revolución" so his silence makes me strongly agree with AlohaStyle that he's circling the drain.

 

[CigarGavin]

We are at a point where changing the "old ways" is almost as scary as thinking about a lifted embargo with cuba. The embargo only runs 365 days at a time with renewal having to be signed every August by the President. you hear people give a little guff around that time, but nothing big because that's all we have ever known. Rommeys vice, Paul has been an advocate for a lifted embargo and free Cuba since 2009, but I doubt that will be anything they would think about changing due to all the other stuff on the countries plate (if they won that is) That being said we sent the first ever ship with aid to the Cuban people last month, which is a step forward. I think we are on the way to a free Cuba, but it's still a long time coming.

On the cigar front, I'm not a huge fan of a lifted embargo because of the HUGE demand it's going to place on getting Cuban cigars. I think the quality will take a nose dive when everyone and there brother wants to try a Cuban, and then hates them because they are either too different in flavor or to acrid/acidic because they are "young" and decide to turn back to non-Cuban cigars. I don't know just my two cents....

 

[Knickerbocker]

I wonder what affect, if any, his death will have on the embargo?

None. His replacement is worse than he is.

Uhhhh, no he's not. His brother just got rid of exit visas, and has started to allow ownership of property and small businesses.

 

[Knickerbocker]

On the cigar front, I'm not a huge fan of a lifted embargo because of the HUGE demand it's going to place on getting Cuban cigars. I think the quality will take a nose dive when everyone and there brother wants to try a Cuban, and then hates them because they are either too different in flavor or to acrid/acidic because they are "young" and decide to turn back to non-Cuban cigars. I don't know just my two cents....

I agree with you, the demand will skyrocket but only for the first few years. There will probably be another cigar boom and the quality will become an issue like 1999-2001. Once that settles down the quality will correct itself, the boom and the allure of getting CC's will be over with and it will be normal as usual.

 

[RacFocus]

I may be alone in my thinking, but even if the embargo were lifted, I would still smoke non-cubans. Of course I would smoke cubans as well. Prolly be a 50-50 split. Some NCs have gotten really good.

 

[JLB]

I may be alone in my thinking, but even if the embargo were lifted, I would still smoke non-cubans. Of course I would smoke cubans as well. Prolly be a 50-50 split. Some NCs have gotten really good.

Well, as will I. And I think a lot of people that know about cigars will too.

 

[Fat_Risling]

I may be alone in my thinking, but even if the embargo were lifted, I would still smoke non-cubans. Of course I would smoke cubans as well. Prolly be a 50-50 split. Some NCs have gotten really good.

Well, as will I. And I think a lot of people that know about cigars will too.

I would be really excited for the blends we could see down the road between Cuban and Dominican or Nicaraguan or all.

 

[javajunkie]

I may be alone in my thinking, but even if the embargo were lifted, I would still smoke non-cubans. Of course I would smoke cubans as well. Prolly be a 50-50 split. Some NCs have gotten really good.

Well, as will I. And I think a lot of people that know about cigars will too.

I would be really excited for the blends we could see down the road between Cuban and Dominican or Nicaraguan or all.

i have been saying this for years!

 

[stevez]

I agree fully. Have had some outstanding Cubans, but love Nics and Dominican's as well.

I may be alone in my thinking, but even if the embargo were lifted, I would still smoke non-cubans. Of course I would smoke cubans as well. Prolly be a 50-50 split. Some NCs have gotten really good.

 

[AussieMitch]

I may be alone in my thinking, but even if the embargo were lifted, I would still smoke non-cubans. Of course I would smoke cubans as well. Prolly be a 50-50 split. Some NCs have gotten really good.

I can tell you right now, that I already do exactly this. I love NC'S as well as CC's