Tapescript 13

Castro's departure fails to stir Cubans

AM - Wednesday, 20 February, 2008 08:12:00

Reporter: Kim Landers

PETER CAVE: After almost half a century in power, Fidel Castro is stepping down as Cuba’s President and Commander-in-Chief.

The 81-year-old has never fully recovered from stomach surgery and had already handed over power temporarily to his brother Raul 19 months ago.

But the news of Fidel Castro’s resignation has sparked little reaction on the streets of Cuba nor amongst the large communities of Cuban refugees in the United States.

North America correspondent Kim Landers reports.

KIM LANDERS: Fidel Castro is a revolutionary icon - famous for his rumpled green military fatigues, his beard, his long speeches and the cigars he once smoked.

(Fidel Castro speaking)

KIM LANDERS: During his 49 years in power he’s dodged everything his enemies threw at him - a US invasion bid, assassination plots and a trade embargo.

He even took the world to the brink of nuclear war when he let Moscow put ballistic missiles in Cuba leading to a 13-day stand-off between president John F. Kennedy and the Soviets.

JOHN F. KENNEDY: By the presence of these large, long range and clearly offensive weapons of sudden mass destruction constitutes an explicit threat to the peace and security of all the Americas.

KIM LANDERS: But in the middle of the night, on Cuba’s Communist newspaper’s website, came the news that Fidel Castro is resigning as President.

(Extract from television from Cuba)

PETER KORNBLUH: Most leaders of his kind don’t leave office except in a coffin or during a military coup and he is now going out on his own terms, securing a smooth transition to his brother and to a younger generation of leadership.

KIM LANDERS: Peter Kornbluh is a senior analyst at the National Security Archive at George Washington University.

He says the Bush administration’s policy of trying to stop Fidel Castro from transferring power to his 76-year-old brother Raul, obviously hasn’t worked.

PETER KORNBLUH: And that plan has failed as has every single effort of the United States - paramilitary intervention, CIA assassination plots, economic embargoes, you name it. Those have failed.

Other countries have adopted a much more rational approach to Cuba and they have more influence in Cuba and I think the next president of the United States is going to be pushed in the direction of a far more pragmatic policy of civil relations, normal relations with Cuba.

KIM LANDERS: In the Little Havana section of Miami, a huge Cuban flag has been hung between two palm trees and motorists are honking their horns as they drive down the main street.

But reaction among Cuban Americans hasn’t been as boisterous as when Fidel Castro temporarily handed power to his brother 19 months ago.

VOX POP: I think this is a great day for all of us if we take advantage of it, because today with his resignation is accepting he’s out of power.

VOX POP: I remain sceptical until his brother die and then it will be a close proximity to the states and maybe things will change but I don’t see any change so far.

KIM LANDERS: Fidel Castro remains the head of the Communist Party in Cuba for the time being and he says he’ll continue to write his newspaper column.

It’s as if he’ll go from Commander-in-Chief to Commentator-in-Chief as one dictator is replaced by another.

This is Kim Landers in Washington for AM

Дата добавления: 2015-03-29