BBC NEWS
Cuba faces political uncertainty
By Nick Miles
BBC News, Washington

The island of Cuba is facing political uncertainty following the news that President Fidel Castro has temporarily handed over power because of ill health.

President Castro is recovering from stomach surgery and whilst he recuperates his brother Raul, who is the defence minister, has now taken over presidential duties.

It is the first time Fidel Castro, 79, has handed over his presidential powers since he led an armed group that took power in 1959.

In that respect this does represent a key moment in Cuban history and the situation is being keenly watched in the United States, where economic sanctions have been in place against the Cuban regime for four decades.

Moment of unity

In Florida, home to hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans, the news of Fidel Castro's ill health was greeted with delight.

Hundreds of people took to the streets in the Little Havana area of Miami, waving Cuban flags and shouting anti-Castro slogans.

Cubans who fled their country after the 1959 revolution form a strong political lobby group in the United States.

The Cuban-born US senator Mel Martinez reacted to the news of President Castro's ill-health by saying that "Cuba's future lies in the hands of its people".

He called on Cubans in the United States to have a moment of unity with those still on the island but he warned that "if and when Raul Castro takes over he's unlikely to take Cuba away from tyranny towards a democratic future".

Likewise the Cuban-born US Commerce Secretary, Carlos Gutierrez, said that he thought "the time has come for a real transition to a true democracy where human rights are respected".

He said that the people of Cuba had a choice between opportunity and repression.

Democratic transition

The reaction in Washington has been more measured, the Bush administration made the bare statement that it was "monitoring the health crisis of President Castro".

Clearly though the administration realises that this represents a good opportunity to restate its goal of helping to ensure a democratic transition on the island.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the Cuban people "aspire and thirst for democracy and that given the choice they would choose a democratic government".

He went on to say that "if Cuba makes the transition to democracy, the United States will do everything it can to stand by the Cuban people."

Mr McCormack was echoing comments made by President Bush on Monday, before Castro's illness was announced.

Speaking in Miami Mr Bush said that "If Fidel Castro were to move on because of natural causes, we've got a plan in place to help the people of Cuba understand there's a better way than the system which they've been living under".

His comments reflect the ongoing attempts by Washington to encourage Cuban based pro-democracy groups.

Earlier this month a US presidential commission called for an $80m dollar programme to bolster Cuban opposition groups.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/5236958.stm

Published: 2006/08/01 23:36:17 GMT

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