Reform in Cuba as Castro Steps Down?

Fidel Castro

Around the world there are few leaders as well known as Fidel Castro. The leader of the small Communist nation of Cuba has been a key figure in International Politics for decades, owing to his conflicts with US presidents and close ties with other Communist or Socialist regimes.  He has been awarded the" Golden Medal and the First Class Order of the National Flag" by everyone's favourite North Korean dictatorship in 2006 while in 1962 he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church by the then Pope John XXIII. These are just two of the many dubious accolades attained by Mr Castro in his long career spanning over 4 decades. However, in what had been suspected for months even years, he officially announced his resignation yesterday as leader of his country's Communist Party.

Political analysts are now pondering what ths may mean for the country. Perhaps the face at the top, Castro's brother Raul may not look so different but his policies do show the beginnings of a possibly bigger change for the small nation.  The country is currently suffering economically and those with the power in Cuba are fully aware of this. Just this past Monday a raft of legislation was introduced in order to aid the suffering of ordinary Cubans.

Fidel 2?

These reforms will inroduce a sliver of a free market into the Communist State and also aim to decentralize the agricultural department and eradicate a thousand state jobs. Raul (80) is also backinga  proposal to limit terms in the country's top job to 10 years, a stark contrast to the days of his brother.

While there is a glimmer of an open market showing through on the horizon, Raul rejects the position taken by the Chinese Communist Party in the last number of years saing it is fundamentally anti- Socialist. Analysts are now looking to who will take the number two spot vacated by Raul, a clear indication of who will be shaping the landscape of the Cuban society in the years to come.

And now because I can't think of a reason not to put it on here is that video once again.....