GOODBYE FIDEL, HELLO RAUL

Taking a brief break from Presidential politcs has been made easy today with announcement by Cuba's Fidel Castro that he is resigning the, "Presidency, " as Cuba begins a new governmental session. The annoncement was made now because the new session of the National Assembly has the , "responsibility, " of selecting the Cuban President, a position that Castro has held since he seized power in 1959. The National Assembly is nothing more than a puppet body controlled by the Castros and the Communist Party

Fidel's health has been failing for more than a year and he temporarily turned Presidential power over to his brother Raul more than a year ago. Of course with the Castro dictatorial government, the Presidency is just another word for Dictator in which Castro has ruthlessly pursued since he took contol of the Cuban government.

This, "resignation, " though is only a symbolic gesture by Fidel because of his failing health in order to insure that power will remain in Castro hands while he is still alive. Raul his younger brother by six years who has been his Defense Minister and Presidential stand in due to Fidel's illness will be his obvious successor.

The Castro's still control the Cuban government and just because Fidel has, "stepped down, " does not mean that the reforms and freedom that Cubans have wanted for sixty nine years are going to appear over night. Raul is no different from his more famous brother and of course Fidel is still alive and the fear he institutes in Cuba will allow his influence to continue through his brother.

Many in Miami's Cuban community look at this , "change, " with some optomism but also realize that while Raul is in power and Fidel is still alive not much will change in the last line of Communism in the Western Hemisphere.

Since standing in as President during Fidel's illness, Raul has addressed some of the economic troubles that have faced Cubans and is expected to focus more on the economy than his brother did. But any changes that take place in Cuba will be very slow if at all.

Raul's ruling philosphy is identical to that of his brother and both enjoy the dictatorial power they have had since 1959. Fidel is also remaining as First Secretary of the ruling Communist Party so changes will not happen while all of the power is still in the hands of the Castros.

This move by Fidel while he is alive is nothing more than the appearance of a smooth transistion from one brother to another consolidating ruling power to keep it in Castro hands. If Fidel had waited and held Presidential power until his death, the possibility of the people rising in rebellion against Communist rule was a strong probability with the confusion in the immediate days after the death of a Dictator.

By handing power over to Raul offically while he is still alive, Fidel has insured that Communism will still rule as well as the Castros remaining in absolute power. The only thing that changes is the first name of the , "President."

Reform will eventually come but it will take the death of Fidel and possibly Raul also before a real change can come to the inpoverished Comminust nation of Cuba.

Ken Taylor