Raul Castro has set a surprising new tone for Cuban politics, telling university students in Havana that they should debate "fearlessly" and bring their concerns directly to him.
Castro's remarks, published Thursday by the Communist Party newspaper, Granma, are the clearest indication yet of how he might reshape Cuba after the death of his ailing brother, Fidel Castro. Raul Castro told the students that his brother is "irreplaceable."
Buuut:
Raul Castro, who is Cuba's defense minister, tempered his remarks by telling the students that a "unified command" is a key military principle, but "that doesn't mean that discussions can't happen."
Uh-huh.
Geez, did the Chicago Tribune print this straight from the Communist paper? Check out the headline.
In the meantime, Val Prieto has a Christmas poem for his least favorite dicator:
I do not like him here or there
I do not like him anywhere
I do not like him in a boat
unless of course it doesnt float