Fidel Wanders Off
So, Castro has retired. He may even be dead. Hard to call with the information lockdown Cuba is justly famous for.
This is good news — or at least possibly good news — for Cuban people, both on the island and in the Diaspora. With the totemic visage of Castro gone, it’s quite likely that the Cuban government will undergo some seismic disturbances in the next few years. In truth, I think it was merely that old bastards longevity and ability to stay un-assassinated that let it hold out for this long.
Communist Nationalism never worked on a large scale, and Cuba’s relatively small population and the loyalty engendered by Us vs. The World is the only reason it lingered on there.
While it’s certainly possible that things could stay the same or get worse, I wouldn’t bet on it. I’d bet on a gradual but gaining speed erosion of both Communist ideaology, the embargo, and the tyrannical border paranoia.
Why? The simplest reason of all: the desire of politicians for wealth and power. The rulers of Cuba have pretty much exhausted the limits for both in their closed society. With Castro gone the largest stumbling block to milking the rest of the world for more has been removed.
Here’s hoping that I can post ‘Welcome back to the World, Cuba!’ very soon.
