HAVANA, (Reuters) – Fidel Castro is not the presence he once was in Cuba after three years out of public view but as he turns 83 tomorrow he still has clout and is working to ensure the island stays communist long after he is gone.
Although younger brother Raul Castro, who is 78, replaced him as president last year, Fidel Castro continues to be a powerful international voice for Cuba, through the regular commentary columns he writes for state-run media.
His internal role in Cuba’s government is less clear but it is generally assumed that while his brother runs the show from day to day, he does it in consultation with Fidel Castro.
“It’s still, I think, a partnership but Raul is now the senior partner,” said Brian Latell of the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies. “Fidel is not able to be involved in the day-to-day stuff anymore.”
Fidel Castro led the revolution that toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan. 1, 1959, and ran the country for 49 years before he underwent emergency surgery for an undisclosed intestinal ailment in July 2006.
He ceded power provisionally to Raul Castro and dropped out of sight and in February 2008 officially resigned on health grounds, allowing his brother to take his place as president.
