hurricane
Storm ravaged victims, posing in the rubble of their flattened homes, devastated by Hurricane Gustave, chanted ‘Fidel, Fidel’, as they posed before television cameras. It took some minutes before the mistake was picked up and the chant quickly revised to ‘Fidel and Raul”. A serious goof in a regime where it is extremely dangerous to criticize the government.
The Bay of Pigs was lashed by Storm Fay on Aug 17th. Hurricane Gustave followed two weeks later, along the western side of Cuba, destroying 100,000 homes. Infrastructure, food production and industry were devastated. Hurricane Ike followed, hitting the eastern shore of Cuba, killing five people and destroying around 200,000 homes. Around a quarter of the population were forced to evacuate, before the hurricane moved out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Fidel Castro at 82 years of age, handed over the reigns of authority six months ago, to his younger brother, Raul a mere 77 years old. Raul has an equally ancient cabinet in a 77 year old Vice President, Jose Ramon and Defense Minister General Julio Cassas at 72 years old.
President Raul has not made a public appearance, or addressed the nation during the weeks of the devastation wrought by a tropical storm and two monster hurricanes. Vice Presidents and Army Generals were sent in his place, to the hardest-hit areas. Raul has spoken by phone to the officials of the devastated areas and been seen only in random shots.
Fidel liked to leap into his jeep and chase after the storms. He would personally view the damage inflicted and talk to many of the victims. He would use the occasions of a national disaster to make one of his never-ending speeches.
Fidel has not been seen in public since an emergency intestinal operation in July. However, he continues to release a newspaper column every few days, on the effect of the recent storms.
It is reported that the Cuban government practices routine and effective mass storm evacuations. These are enforced by the army and the police. Yet it would appear many of the storm-ravaged Cubans, left homeless, are without food or support. Maybe Cuban’s long gone communist friends will come to the aid of the devastated country?
