Castro announces political term limits

Cuban President Raul Castro addresses the Sixth Communist Party Congress in Cuba, April 16, 2011. Reuters Pictures

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/175336.html

Cuban President Raul Castro has proposed a series of reforms including term limits for politicians and economic changes during a Communist Party summit.

Castro told 1,000 delegates that public office terms should be limited to two 5 years in an opening speech at the Sixth Party Congress in Cuba on Saturday, The Associated Press reported.

"We have arrived at the conclusion that it is advisable to limit the fundamental political and state offices to a maximum period of two consecutive periods of five years," Castro said.

Promising to launch a “systematic rejuvenation” of the government, Castro also proposed the elimination of food ration coupons and other subsidies, saying they represented an "unbearable burden ... and a disincentive for work."

He also suggested changes to the country's socialist economy, such as decentralization and a new reliance on supply and demand in some sectors.

At the same time, Castro dismissed changes that would allow the privatization of property, and affirmed his commitment to free healthcare and education.

The term limits will not likely effect Castro's position, who was appointed as president by his older brother, former President Fidel Castro, who fell ill in 2006. Formally taking over in 2008, the younger Castro would most likely be termed out in 2018 when he is 86 years old.

The senior Castro was not able to attend the congress, but later wrote that he fully supports his brother's proposals.

Last year, Castro announced layoffs of 500,000 government workers making up 80 percent of the country's entire labor force. Earlier this month, however, he announced that the cuts would be delayed indefinitely.

Cuba's Castro addresses parliament

Castro spoke on the threat of nuclear war and a
subsequent change in the world order [EPA]


Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/08/20108715838881948.html


Fidel Castro, the former president of Cuba, has addressed the national assembly for the first time since stepping down as leader.

The ailing Castro, who remains head of the Communist Party, last made an official government appearance four years ago, before falling seriously ill and having to hand over the presidency to his brother Raul Castro.

In his address on Saturday, Fidel Castro, 83, talked of the threat of a nuclear holocaust and an end to the current world social order.

Castro has been warning that the world is on the brink of nuclear war for some time, stating the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, is planning to attack rivals Iran and North Korea.

World order

"When the president [Barack Obama] would give the order ... it would be tantamount to ordering the instant death not only of hundreds of millions of people including an inestimable number of residents of the United States as well, but also the crew member of all of the United States navel craft in the seas heading towards Iran," Castro said.

"Simultaneously with this, the conflagration would break out in the Middle East and Eurasia."

Castro said that the current world order "cannot last and will inevitably collapse".

He asserted that foreign exchange reserves, which have created wealth by taxing hard working publics, would also fall apart.

But he warned that were nuclear war to break out that change would be hastened.

"If war were to break out, the current world order would disappear abruptly and the price would be much greater," he said.

Al Jazeera's Latin America editor Lucia Newman said: "He looked certainly a lot better than he has in a long time and that was one of the points that he was trying to make - that although he has been out of the public eye he is still in the picture.

"It was a message to the Cuban people and the world that he should be listened to. And he was talking directly to the president of the United States."

'Long live Fidel!'

Wearing his trademark olive green military uniform, Castro had entered the chamber to cheers of "Fidel, Fidel, Fidel", and "Long live Fidel! Long live Raul!".

Castro had an assistant with him when entering the assembly, but stood independently at the podium.

He spoke for 11 minutes - a relatively short time considering his typical lengthy speeches - and Raul Castro was also present in parliament.


It is the first time the pair have been seen together in the same room since the change of power.

Castro emerged from private seclusion earlier this week, meeting with a Communist youth group among other public appearances.

He has not been able to appear publically since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006. He renounced the presidency in 2008.

Cuba has been a one-party Communist state since 1959 when Castro ousted Fulgencio Batista, a dictator supported by the US.

Cuba's Castro in fighting form

Castro said he believed a confrontation between the US and Iran was imminent [Reuters]

Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/07/201071223251968987.html


Appearing relaxed, cogent and in fighting form, Fidel Castro, Cuba's former president, has made his first major television appearance in three years, and immediately took on old nemesis the United States.

Speaking slowly but clearly, the 83-year-old former revolution leader, who has been in ill health, talked about the conflict between North and South Korea at the start of the interview on Monday on a daily Cuban current events talk show.

He accused the US of sinking a South Korean warship in March, an attack Seoul and an international team of investigators blamed on Pyongyang.

He also spoke about his belief that a confrontation between the US and Iran was imminent, saying nuclear war could break out when the US, in alliance with Israel, tries to enforce international sanctions against Iran for its nuclear activities.

"When they launch war, they're going to launch it there. It cannot help but be nuclear," he said. "I believe the danger of war is growing a lot. They are playing with fire," he said.

Castro spoke haltingly at first, but gathered steam as he outlined long grievances against the US and detailed its large store of nuclear arms and heavy military spending.

"The United States spends more than all the other countries together on defence," he said, leafing through papers to check his facts.


Domestic message


Philip Brenner, a Cuban analyst and professor of US foreign policy at American University, said the message was intended for domestic consumption, but also held a likely honest concern about US foreign policy.

"What this tells people internally is that the United States can't be trusted," he said. "'Those of you who want to get closer to the United states, be careful. I've watched it'."

"[Castro] pointedly talked about the US administration increasing military spending, the US now spends more that all the other countries combined. So I think there is a real concern about war, we should take this I think at face value."

Monday's interview on the "Round Table" news and analysis show that airs on state-run television, came as the government began freeing 52 political prisonersunder a landmark deal brokered with the Catholic Church last week.

Castro did not mention the release of the dissidents, who were imprisoned in a crackdown on the opposition in 2003 while he was still in power.

It was a rare appearance for a man who has stayed largely out of the public eye since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006, forcing him from power.


Monday's highly anticipated interview, the first since he was seen in a series of videotaped discussions in 2007, was announced in a front-page story in the Communist-party daily Granma earlier in the day.


'Positive effect'

Cuban media later showed footage of workers watching the elder Castro on large screens set up at their workplaces.


"I think it will have a positive effect on people," David Suarez, a 21-year-old student, told The Associated Press news agency.


"It will give hope that once again he will help to solve our problems."

Castro's latest appearance comes just days after he was photographed in public for the time since 2006.

Images of him greeting workers at a Havana think-tank were published in the Cuban media on Saturday.

Castro ruled Cuba for 49 years after leading the 1959 revolution that toppled Fulgencio Batista, a US-backed dictator.

He dominated Cuban life, often making long, televised speeches and numerous public appearances.

He resigned the presidency in February 2008 and permanently handed power to his brother, Raul Castro, 79, who officially took over as president in a vote by the National Assembly.