Posted on 06/02/2012 10:35:34 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Cuban President Raúl Castro turns 81 on Sunday, another year on in his race against time to reform Cuba's economy and try to assure the survival of communism after he and his elderly colleagues are gone.
Their task, he has said, is to correct mistakes made during their 53 years of leadership, which will require "days and years of work" that he intends to finish.
"The generation that made the (Cuban) revolution has had the historic privilege, few times seen, of being able to direct the rectification of errors they themselves committed," he told a Communist Party conference in January. "Despite the fact that we are not so young, we don't plan to waste this last opportunity."
Raúl Castro's No. 2, José Ramón Machado Ventura is 81 and his No. 3, Ramiro Valdés is 80.
Older brother Fidel Castro, who led Cuba for 49 years before age and infirmity forced him to leave office, is 85 and still a behind-the-scenes player.
The average life expectancy for a Cuban male is about 76 years.
President Castro has said his health is good and he feels young, plus there is a history of longevity in his family. His sister Angela died in February at the age of 88 and his eldest brother Ramón is 87.
If he is worried about time, Raúl Castro does not let on publicly.
He has fretted publicly about not having groomed younger leaders to succeed the current group, but there are no obvious candidates waiting the wings.
He has said on several occasions that the remaking of Cuba's economy will be done "without hurry, but without pause" so that the mistakes of the past are not compounded by more mistakes. …
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Gives validity to the statement that only the good die young.
I bet they shot all the “younger leaders” to prevent a coup.
I am floored by this. He’s saying that they can rectify mistakes they themselves made??? He would admit that somewhere along the way, that mistakes were made??? Do you mean to say that good communists such as the Castro brothers did not create a piece of heaven on earth for their people? They actually made mistakes????
Communism is fantastic for those in charge.......everyone else not so much.
I thought that Communists didn’t make mistakes...
From that web page you posted,
“U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, known as both a staunch anti-Castro Cuban American and one of Congress’ most outspoken Republicans for LGBT equality, is harshly critical of Mariela Castro’s U.S. visit.”
Just stuff it in the pickle jar next to your brother Fidel.
Wonder if obama sent his resume to Raúl?.
He still looks good in an evening gown.
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