Fidel Castro votes, chats in Cuban election

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro voted in Cuba's general election on Sunday and chatted with well wishers and Cuban reporters in Havana for more than an hour, in his first extended public appearance since 2010.

Castro had voted from his home in three previous elections since taking ill in 2006 and ceding power to his brother Raul two years later.

A stooped, snow white bearded Castro, 86, was seen on state-run television as he cast his ballot in the late afternoon, wearing a blue plaid shirt and light blue jacket.

The announcer said Castro talked about efforts to reform the economy, Latin American integration, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other matters.



Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/uk-cuba-election-idUKBRE9120CU20130204

[longship]

1. Al Jazeera reported that there were 632 candidates for 632 positions.

Not sure I have the number right, but that's basically what they reported on their English language service. Not sure if they were just being snarky, but apparently they don't like Cuba.

I watch Al Jazeera occasionally, since it's broadcast daily on MHz Worldview which one of my local PBS broadcasters carries 24/7 and at 7PM on weekends I sometimes have to choose between Al Jazeera and Lawrence Welk. No comment about quality, since I think Al Jazeera is always better than Welk, and often better than the big three broadcast networks in the US.

But Damn! They sure do have bias.

My favorite these days is NHK from Japan which at least has good cultural programs, and a news announcer named Ross Mihara who apparently graduated from Sumo announcer to news. He sounds like he is a native English speaker and also sounds like he could do macho play-by-play for the Super Bowl. With a name like Ross Mihara, how could it any other way.


Diverse cultures are fun. Sometimes the mixture of diverse cultures is even more fun.

[flamingdem]

8. You're correct, there was an incident that lead to the Al Jazeera

bureau packing up and leaving Cuba. I can't remember what it was but it is... googleable.

[brooklynite]

12. FWIW, I'm biased against Dictatorships as well.

[Archae]

2. "Elections" in Cuba are a sham.

Just like in North Korea.

"Vote for the communists we tell you to vote for, or else!"

[dipsydoodle]

5. That is an absurd statement.

..

[Ter]

7. So what capitalist is running against Castro?

What's the person's name?

[dipsydoodle]

9. Elections in Cuba

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Cuba

[Ter]

11. So none

n/t

[Ken Burch]

13. Nobody in Cuba would vote for the guy anyway.

They may have issues with some of what's been done...but almost none of them want the Batista era back...and that's what going capitalism would mean.

Cuba has never had progressive, democratic, humane capitalists.

[SpartanDem]

17. No one?

Even if that were the case one should be allowed to run.

[msanthrope]

18. Only one party is allowed, per the article. That is absurd. nt

[dotymed]

6. That sounds like America....our candidates are chosen for us.....n/t

[Judi Lynn]

3. Fidel Castro appears at Cuban polling station

Fidel Castro appears at Cuban polling station

Rare prolonged public appearance for retired leader as he casts ballot in Havana for election of national assembly

Reuters in Havana
guardian.co.uk, Monday 4 February 2013 00.51 EST

The retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro has made his longest public appearance since 2010, turning up to vote in the general election and chatting with wellwishers and Cuban reporters.

Castro had voted from his home in three previous elections since falling ill in 2006 and ceding power to his brother Raul two years later. A stooped, white-bearded Castro, 86, was seen on state-run television as he cast his ballot in the late afternoon in Havana.

The announcer said Castro talked about efforts to reform the economy, Latin American integration, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and other matters.

He was heard in a weak voice praising popular participation in Sunday's election. "The people are truly revolutionary, they have really sacrificed. We don't have to prove it, history will. Fifty years of the blockade and they haven't given in," he said.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/04/fidel-castro-appears-cuban-election

[Judi Lynn]

4. Cubans vote in parliamentary elections

Cubans vote in parliamentary elections
Sunday, 03 February 2013 09:21

Over 8.5 million Cubans on Sunday started to cast their votes for the picking of nearly 1,900 members of the country's new national and provincial legislatures. They are expected to elect 612 National Assembly members from an equal number of candidates, and select nearly 1,270 delegates to the 15 provincial people's power assemblies, or the local legislatures, for a five-year term.

A total of 29,942 polling stations were set up across the island nation and are running from 7 a.m. (1200 GMT) to 6 p.m. ( 2300 GMT) Sunday. The elections involve 14,737 electoral commissions of various constituencies and over 225,000 election officials, with some 150,000 working in the polling stations.

According to Alina Balseiro, president of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), voters have received necessary training to ensure a smooth voting process, and the voting system was fully tested in a trial run conducted last Sunday.

~snip~
Raul Castro, 81, is running for the new National Assembly as a candidate representing the municipality of "Second Front" in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba. His elder brother and former president Fidel Castro, now 86 and retired since 2006, represents the district of Santiago de Cuba city.

http://english.cri.cn/6966/2013/02/04/2361s746685.htm

[Comrade Grumpy]

10. Whether it's a one-party system, a two-party system, or a multi-party system...

...a regime must aggregate and articulate the interests of various sectors or it cannot stand. The Cuban regime has stood since 1959. It must be doing something right, and I mean beyond having an efficient repressive apparatus.

[Nye Bevan]

15. The North Korean regime has been around a long time too.

I guess they are also doing something right.

[Ken Burch]

14. Interesting...it looks like his beard is thicker than it was when he was in the hospital in '06

Last edited Mon Feb 18, 2013, 10:29 PM - Edit history (1)

2006



2013
The man's neither a saint nor a demon, but you have to at least respect the staying-power.

[Nye Bevan]

16. When is the Presidential election? (nt)