Changes ahead?

For the first time since the 1976 creation of the National Assembly, Fidel Castro did not run again as the sole candidate to the Cuban presidency. In a message published on Feb. 18, he announced that he would not accept to be re-elected as the country’s president and chief of the armed forces. On Feb. 24, 614 lawmakers, who were elected in January, were sworn into the Sixth Legislature, which nominated Raúl Castro, Fidel’s brother, as president for a five-year term. Raúl Castro had been serving as interim president for the last 18 months, when his brother stepped aside for health reasons (LP, Aug. 23, 2006). Ending speculation both on the island and abroad about the role Fidel would play in the future, Raúl asked lawmakers to authorize him to consult with Fidel on the major foreign affairs and military strategies. The assembly approved the motion unanimously. “It was predictable that Fidel would participate even tangentially in important decisions,” said Luis René Fernández, a researcher with the Havana University’s Center for Studies on the United States. “His ability to predict and anticipate delicate situations is proverbial ... Fidel always was a talented strategist. He stands out as one of the heavy-weight strategists in the current world.” “It’s calming to know that Fidel will continue ... giving advice, because the age that is coming is very strong, and our country will enter in decisive moments with the changes to come,” said Nidia Díaz, a foreign policy analyst from Cuba.