Jump to content

Fidel Castro Resigns


FuzzyMerkin

Recommended Posts

Will this be the end of an era?

No more attempts at his life? And they used to be quite entertaining...all 600 or so... :rolleyes:

"While the exploding cigar that was intended to blow up in Castro's face is perhaps the best-known of the attempts on his life, others have been equally bizarre.

Knowing his fascination for scuba-diving off the coast of Cuba, the CIA at one time invested in a large volume of Caribbean molluscs. The idea was to find a shell big enough to contain a lethal quantity of explosives, which would then be painted in colours lurid and bright enough to attract Castro's attention when he was underwater. Documents released under the Clinton administration confirm that this plan was considered but, like many others, did not make it far from the drawing-board. Another aborted plot related to Castro's underwater activities was for a diving-suit to be prepared for him that would be infected with a fungus that would cause a chronic and debilitating skin disease.

One of the reasons there have been so many attempts on his life is that he has been in power for so long. Attempts to kill Castro began almost immediately after the 1959 revolution, which brought him to power. In 1961, when Cuban exiles with the backing of the US government tried to overthrow him in the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the aim was to assassinate Fidel and Raul Castro and Che Guevara. Two years later, on the day that President Kennedy was assassinated, an agent who had been given a pen-syringe in Paris was sent to kill Castro, but failed.

On one occasion, a former lover was recruited to kill him, according to Peter Moore, producer of the new film. The woman was given poison pills by the CIA, and she hid them in her cold cream jar. But the pills melted and she decided that, all things considered, putting cold cream in Castro's mouth while he slept was a bad idea. According to this woman, Castro had already guessed that she was aiming to kill him and he duly offered her his own pistol. "I can't do it, Fidel," she told him.

No one apparently could. This former lover is far from the only person to have failed to poison Castro: at one point the CIA prepared bacterial poisons to be placed in Castro's hand-kerchief or in his tea and coffee, but nothing came of it. A CIA poison pill had to be abandoned when it failed to disintegrate in water during tests.

The most recent serious assassination attempt that we know of came in 2000 when Castro was due to visit Panama. A plot was hatched to put 200lb (90kg) of high explosives under the podium where he was due to speak. That time, Castro's personal security team carried out their own checks on the scene, and helped to abort the plot. Four men, including Luis Posada, a veteran Cuban exile and former CIA operative, were jailed as a result, but they were later given a pardon and released from jail.

As it happens, Posada is the most dedicated of those who have tried and failed to get rid of the Cuban president. He is currently in jail in El Paso, Texas, in connection with extradition attempts by Venezuela and Cuba to get him to stand trial for allegedly blowing up a Cuban airliner in 1976. His case is due to come back before the courts later this month but few imagine that he will be sent to stand trial, and he appears confident that he will be allowed to resume his retirement in Florida, a place where many of the unsuccessful would-be assassins have made their homes.

Not all the attempts on Castro's life have been fancifully complicated: many have been far simpler and owe more to the methods of the mafia who used to hang out in the casinos and hotels of Havana in the 40s and 50s, than they do to James Bond. At one time the CIA even approached underworld figures to try to carry out the killing. One of Castro's old classmates planned to shoot him dead in the street in broad daylight much in the manner of a mafia hit. One would-be sniper at the University of Havana was caught by security men. But the shooters were no more successful than the poisoners and bombers.

Officially, the US has abandoned its attempt to kill its arch-enemy, but Cuban security are not taking any chances. Any gifts sent to the ailing leader as he lies ill this week will be carefully scrutinised, just as they were when those famous exploding cigars were being constructed by the CIA's technical services department in the early 60s. (They never got to him, by the way, those cigars contaminated with botulinum toxin, but they are understood to have been made using his favourite brand. Castro gave up smoking in 1985.)

All these plots inevitably changed the way Castro lived his life. While in his early years in office, he often walked alone in the street, but that practice had to change. Since then doubles have been used, and over the decades Castro has moved between around 20 different addresses in Cuba to make it harder for any potential hitmen to reach him.

Meanwhile, jokes about Castro's apparent indestructibility have become commonplace in Cuba. One, recounted in the New Yorker this week, tells of him being given a present of a Galapagos turtle. Castro declines it after he learns that it is likely to live only 100 years. "That's the problem with pets," he says. "You get attached to them and then they die on you".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are calls for reform, but it doesn't look like it's gonna happen yet, with his brother taking power. "Meet the new boss...same as the old boss".

Yeah, they're always calling for reform there, but the trouble is, you know, what sort of reform are they going to get?

The Western countries, particularly American companies, always want to give them reform in the shape of materialism. It always ends up being commercialism.

I don't know what the answer is, it's up for the Cubans to decide, but I know a woman who's a travel writer and she spent a long time in Cuba and she said to me "Yeah, they don't have much, but they have a sense of community and camraderie that we in America have long since lost in favour of materialism".

But who knows. I mean in some remote sections of Argentina they don't have access to water, but they have Coke and Pepsi.

I do wonder how we would go if there was a major war or natural disaster or whatever that resulted in us not being able to use computers or the many other modern conviences, I wonder how well we would be able to go back to a much simpler life

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do wonder how we would go if there was a major war or natural disaster or whatever that resulted in us not being able to use computers or the many other modern conviences, I wonder how well we would be able to go back to a much simpler life

Well...since people can't even count back change correctly because of cash register technology, sadly, our population would wither away without it.

Just look where people would be now without cellphones....they weren't needed till the last 10 years !

I still live in the cave. I've never had one....and don't need it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do wonder how we would go if there was a major war or natural disaster or whatever that resulted in us not being able to use computers or the many other modern conviences, I wonder how well we would be able to go back to a much simpler life

It will be a bitch, especially for those that have never lived without those convieneces.

I went through Katrina and I'll tell you that there were times when things would go good you would keep it to yourself for fear you neighbor might get jealous.

Think Jericho! :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well...since people can't even count back change correctly because of cash register technology, sadly, our population would wither away without it.

Just look where people would be now without cellphones....they weren't needed till the last 10 years !

I still live in the cave. I've never had one....and don't need it.

I was about 16 when the internet and cellphone arrived on the scene in the mid-90s, and when I think back to before then, I just can't remember what I did without the internet and without cable tv, what did I do all that time with just 4 tv stations?? I think I read a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, they're always calling for reform there, but the trouble is, you know, what sort of reform are they going to get?

The Western countries, particularly American companies, always want to give them reform in the shape of materialism. It always ends up being commercialism.

I don't know what the answer is, it's up for the Cubans to decide, but I know a woman who's a travel writer and she spent a long time in Cuba and she said to me "Yeah, they don't have much, but they have a sense of community and camraderie that we in America have long since lost in favour of materialism".

But who knows. I mean in some remote sections of Argentina they don't have access to water, but they have Coke and Pepsi.

I do wonder how we would go if there was a major war or natural disaster or whatever that resulted in us not being able to use computers or the many other modern conviences, I wonder how well we would be able to go back to a much simpler life

Materialism is sure as hell better than what they have now. I'd rather have them be like us than the Russians or the Chinese.

Castro resigning? Big deal. The damage has been done. That country is fucked until another revolution takes place, another country invades (or the CIA does something crazy). Until then, good luck Cuba. God help you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Materialism is sure as hell better than what they have now. I'd rather have them be like us than the Russians or the Chinese.

Castro resigning? Big deal. The damage has been done. That country is fucked until another revolution takes place, another country invades (or the CIA does something crazy). Until then, good luck Cuba. God help you

Really! Besides I need a new source of parts for the 54 chevy i'm refurbing :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well...since people can't even count back change correctly because of cash register technology, sadly, our population would wither away without it.

The antique/book store across the street has an old time National cash register for sale. It has buttons that go from 1 cent all the way up to $900. It's HUGE and I'd love to have it. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been wanting to surf Cuba for almost a decade, not to mention having a nice beach bungalo would not be a bad gig for a few months of RnR either. Ahh, the possibilities of having enough rum, sun, swell and cheap cigars to fill a cheap Cuban whore.

But in reality, very little will change in the near future. I do see another revolution a possibility, but highly unlikely..unless the youth feel the need to uprise.

Coming in from the cold....in bermuda shorts and aviator shades, indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The antique/book store across the street has an old time National cash register for sale. It has buttons that go from 1 cent all the way up to $900. It's HUGE and I'd love to have it. :)

Yeah...

I loved the old registers..where you punched in $1.19 and cha-ching....that's all that happened ! You got a plain receipt, on the fancy ones mind you, just showing the amount..and maybe the date.

No extraneous crap !!!

The cashier knew how to give back change when they were given 2 dollars and 9 cents....just figuring it out in their head !

What a quaint concept ! :D

They didn't even need electricity !! hahahahaaa.....

Simple is and has always been better. It'd be nice if Cuba could just be agricultural, with small family farms...self sustaining, and laid back. Somewhere ought to be able to avoid ALL the modern trappings we've been force fed.

Kinda like...the Garden of Eden.....ahh bliss ........

OH...btw...I've been on Cuban soil...and without a passport ! B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well living in South Fl shines a different light. Cubans have assimilated well to our culture BUT longing for the homeland is hard especially when part of your family never "escaped". Raoul has been second fiddle ......first fiddle second fiddle then fiddle faddle Fidel........NO CHANGE with Raoul and no VOTE.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well living in South Fl shines a different light. Cubans have assimilated well to our culture BUT longing for the homeland is hard especially when part of your family never "escaped". Raoul has been second fiddle ......first fiddle second fiddle then fiddle faddle Fidel........NO CHANGE with Raoul and no VOTE.

Raul's Wife and Fidel will continue to in the 31 seat assembly long after their both planted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah...

I loved the old registers..where you punched in $1.19 and cha-ching....that's all that happened ! You got a plain receipt, on the fancy ones mind you, just showing the amount..and maybe the date.

No extraneous crap !!!

The cashier knew how to give back change when they were given 2 dollars and 9 cents....just figuring it out in their head !

What a quaint concept ! :D

They didn't even need electricity !! hahahahaaa.....

You ain't kiddin'. I hardly see anyone who really knows how to make change anymore, and if they do, they're above a certain age.

In light of the current situation, I don't see a great deal of change coming, with the rest of the family machine and CDRs (Comites de la Defensa de la Revolucion - self-explanatory translation) keeping hold of things. Even in the wake of any potential uprising, I'd say let them work things out for themselves. We would likely give them no real freedom in the end. Despite anyone's best intentions, oligarchy would likely end up ruling again, and worse than it ever was, given our technology-enhanced capacity for exploitation and diffusion of materialism. Rich corporate jockey car collectors would try to acquire the new equivalent of barn finds, though in this case they'd be seemingly much easier to get. Tourist boosters would swoop in and try to make new Cancuns everywhere, where the tourists reap all the amenities, and the locals are lucky to live hand-to-mouth, perhaps with the fortunate getting wait jobs if they can speak good enough English. That's for those that would even stay. If coming and leaving Cuba was newly legal, either many Cuban-Americans would go back, or just go, or we'd see a new wave of massive proportions headed for Broward and Miami-Dade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cashier knew how to give back change when they were given 2 dollars and 9 cents....just figuring it out in their head !

A great scene in the movie 'Paper Moon' where Tatum scammed the girl out of some money at the cash register. But the girl new how to count back the change.

CHICK-CHINGGGggggg!

:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...