CSC Statement on Fidel Castro
Campaign News | Monday, 7 August 2006
Condition described as 'stable'
Cuba Update: CSC Statement on Fidel Castro
On August 1, a message was read out on Cuban TV confirming that President Fidel Castro had suffered from “an acute intestinal crisis,” which has lead to him being unable to continue in his governmental positions while he recuperates from the illness. In a message from Fidel Castro today (August 2) he described his condition as “stable.” He went on to thank people across the world for their good-will messages and stated that the important thing was that the country was continuing to "work well".
In line with the Cuban Constitution Vice-President Raul Castro has temporarily taken on a number of Fidel’s responsibilities, including those concerning the Council of State and the armed forces. Other members of the government, such as Felipe Pérez Roque, José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera, José Ramón Machado Ventura and Esteban Lazo Hernández, have been given other responsibilities in areas such as health, education and energy policy.
It is clear that the United States will seek to use the news from Cuba to intensify efforts towards forced ‘regime change’ on the island. The recently announced (July 10th) report of the Commission for a Transition to a Free Cuba outlined US plans for Cuba in the event of Fidel Castro’s death. The report provides $80 million dollars to pay groups, inside and outside Cuba, to work to destabilise the country.
Speculation from extreme right-wing groups in Miami, and fuelled by US media disinformation concerning the future of the island, has focussed on how the news of Fidel Castro's illness will speed up the process towards a US sponsored 'transition'.
The Cuban Institute of Frendship with the Peoples issued a statement that read in part: "Bush’s Administration has publicly declared its intentions of wiping out the Cuban revolution no matter what the cost is. They might make the mistake of believing that we are going through a moment of weakness or crisis in government. It would be a dramatic mistake."
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign joins with millions of people around the world to wish Fidel Castro a speedy recovery and to wish the Cuban people all the best in their continuing struggle to live free from US interference.
Full statement from Cuba
http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/news.asp?ItemID=811
