Is Castro dead?

I have it from unreliable sources in New Zealand that yes, it is possible, he might be less than alive. Seriously, maybe I’m out of touch, but I hadn’t seen this news. A quick search of Google News turns up this, rather inconclusive, article that says the U.S. has suggested that the Cuban government is trying to make the world believe he is dead. That makes no sense to me.

Maybe he has simply joined the undead…is that the same as “less than alive” ?

Like many speculated about every Soviet leader after Stalin, his “death” may simply mean he is no longer in power, and tucked away somewhere. Whether or not he’s dead isn’t nearly as important as the appearance there won’t be any significant changes in Cuba any time soon.

@ Hossman, I disagree.. I think Cuba in the aftermath of Castro will (perhaps not quickly) undergo the same kind of changes we saw in the former Eastern Bloc of Europe. I think economically, Cuba simply can’t ignore the (relative) success enjoyed by the rest of the Carribean with the American tourist dollar. On a larger scale, Cubans must know how valuable an economic resource they’re standing on, and they would/could EASILY become a major player in industrial market current dominated by Mexican labor . I’ll wager the pull of Ga-Jillions of Dollars, Yen, and Euros flooding into a market that hasn’t been tapped in the last 60-odd years ultimately wins out over the dying strands of an ideology that (let’s face it) just, doesn’t work. To paraphrase P.J. O’Rourke on the end of the cold war- The Iron Curtain didn’t fall fall because of any ideological victory on our part, it fell because they were tired of wearing East German shoes.
Then again, you may be right. I have no idea who’s on the short list of guys waiting to fill Casto’s chair. I’m sure Hugo Chavez has a few ideas.

Well, apparently for now at least (especially if he is dead) his brother is calling the shots, and apparently he isn’t looking to make any changes.

death is subjective. while the man might not be around to pester US presidents, he sure does live on in the hearts and minds of all cubans.