News that Castro, 79, had to undergo surgery to halt intestinal bleeding apparently caught the US government by surprise as speculation swirled about the fate of Washington's arch enemy.
Three days after the illness was announced, US President George W Bush publicly addressed the matter for the first time Thursday, calling on Cubans to take steps for democratic change and offering US help.
Bush's statement reflected his administration's standing policy to support democratic change in Cuba, stick up for dissidents while also offering humanitarian help if there was a genuine transition away from authoritarian rule.
Beyond morale support, analysts say the White House's reaction was an indication it plans to do little to intervene in the situation to facilitate change in the country.
'I don't think it is really different that what has been said before,' said Phil Peters of the Lexington Institute think tank. 'It is more of the same.'
The United States placed sanctions on Cuba in the early 1960s and does not have formal diplomatic ties with Cuba, preferring to isolate the government, a policy Peters believes hampers Washington's ability to promote change in Cuba.
'The US is seeking very profound change in Cuba but at the same time it doesn't use the instruments, such as allowing travel, contacts inside the Cuban government, relationships with the Cuban military,' he said.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said soon after the announcment that the US government would not reach out to Raul, 75, while he is in power to determine whether he is willing to introduce change on the island while his brother is ailing.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday addressed Cubans on Radio and TV Marti, a US broadcast beamed into Cuba, but it was not clear how many households receive the signal because the Cuban government tries to jam the frequency. Her message was similar to that of the US president's.
Bush, in his statement, said he was 'actively monitoring' developments and that Cubans 'can count on the full and unconditional support of the United States.'
'I urge the Cuban people to work for democratic change on the island,' Bush said. 'We will support you in your effort to build a transitional government in Cuba committed to democracy, and we will take note of those, in the current Cuban regime, who obstruct your desire for a free Cuba.'
The United States has begun taking some steps. The US government has been watching for a potential exodus of refugees. A commission set up by Bush in 2004 has developed plans to offer humanitarian aid while examining ways to tighten the grip on the Castro regime and hasten its end. Congress has begun writing legislation to provide millions of dollars to dissidents who work for democracy.
The news that Castro had relinquished power spread quickly on the streets of Miami, home to much of the exiled Cuban-American community that takes a hardline position against Castro and holds considerable clout in the politically important state.
Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs in Washington, said Bush's statements on the situation in Cuba appear more aimed at reaching out to the Cuban-American community in a congressional election year than pushing for real change on the island. Cuban Americans are traditional backers of Bush's Republican Party.
'The US has always substituted propaganda for diplomacy on the Cuban issue, handling it as a domestic and not foreign policy issue to raise votes,' Birns said.
© 2003 - 2006 by Monsters and Critics.com, WotR Ltd. All Rights Reserved. All photos are copyright their respective owners and are used under license or with permission. * Note M&C cannot be held responsible for the content on other Web Sites.
Arts - Books - DVD - Forums - Home - Movies - Music - People & Celebrity - Science - Soundtracks - Sport - Tech - TV - World News
About Us - The Team - Advertise - Contact - Join the Team - Privacy - RSS Feeds - Site Map - Terms & Conditions - Webmasters
Servers supplied by Servint
