Castro's end? Or just the beginning of the end?
The cobwebs in my eyes were burned away this morning with the headline in the local paper, "Ailing Castro steps aside."
In a statement, Fidel Castro says he has "temporarily" handed over his powers to his already designated successor, his brother Raúl, until he recovers for surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding.
(Insert your favorite "Castro is full of shit" joke here.)
Reportedly, Fidel will be out of commission for two months.
So how "temporary" is this?
The coming days and weeks will tell, but a few things to keep in mind during the latest death watch:
— This summer, there have been numerous reports in the Cuban state-run press clearly designed to raise the profile of Raúl Castro.
— Might the "temporary" transfer of power be designed to send a message to elements in Cuba not ready to accept Raúl as their leader.
— The regime rarely comments on Fidel's health.
"This is a big surprise; it's never happened before," said William LeoGrande, an expert on Cuba at American University in Washington, D.C. "No matter how long Castro has ever been out of Cuba traveling, or in any other situation, there's never been a transfer of power."
So is this really a temporary solution and only a trial run for the inevitable?
Or has the inevitable already happened?
For the most comprehensive coverage, visit the Miami Herald.
Personally, I am trying not to get ahead of the news. There have been rumors of Castro's death before, and we have been disappointed to find they were true, such as during his recent trip to Argentina.
But as I write this, I think of my family members who were forced from their homes because of this bastard. And I pray for those, like my grandfather, who did not live to see a free Cuba, or at least a Cuba free of Fidel.
Many of my aunts and uncles and cousins have only the faintest memories of life in Cuba, and they have made wonderful lives for themselves in America.
But like for all Cubans who have fled the island, Fidel's death will be a reason to celebrate.
In Miami, they have started doing just that.
Babalú — the best source for the latest updates — has the words.
Y No Mas and Malkin have photos, including an AP shot of Castro's signature on the transfer papers.
For more commentary, check back with the usual suspects:
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