Free Republic

Historians Have Absolved Fidel Castro Humberto Fontova Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006 "You may pronounce me guilty," declared Adolf Hitler during the trial in 1924 for his failed Rathaus putsch, "but the eternal court of history will absolve me." "Condemn me, it doesn't matter," declared Fidel Castro during the trial in 1953 for his failed Moncada putsch. "History will absolve me." The young Fidel Castro was a keen student of Nazi pageantry, often seen around campus with his well-thumbed copy of "Mein Kampf" alongside his pistol. His title of Lider Maximo perfectly mimics the German term Fuhrer. Over the years a...

IF IT’S BAD form to speak ill of the dead, it seems to be even worse form to speak ill of the almost-dead tyrant. When I’ve written before about the monstrous regime of Fidel Castro — one of the longest-standing abusers of human rights on the planet — I’ve been deluged with e-mails and letters accusing me of everything bar incest. Despite the pictures of him that appeared on Monday, it’s clear that he is on his last legs. And when he does finally pop his clogs, the mourning of left-liberals will be intense. Such hero worship of so brutal...

HAVANA - It was supposed to be the ultimate tribute, several days of parties and concerts to mark Fidel Castro's 80th birthday. But instead of listening to folk music and attending conferences on his legacy, Castro is expected to spend his birthday Sunday in bed, recovering from surgery for intestinal bleeding. Cubans have cultivated a myth over the last half-century that Castro is invincible, but now confront the fact that he is an octogenarian — and frail like other elderly mortals. A few Cubans say it won't be long before Castro is giving five-hour speeches once again, but many believe...

Aug. 09 (CNA/CWNews.com) - As the world awaits news on the condition of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, Archbishop Giulio Einaudi (pictured right), who was apostolic nuncio in Cuba from 1980 to 1988, said this week that a political transition could take place on the island nation without recourse to violence. Speaking to the Chilean daily El Mercurio, the archbishop explained, “A non-violent transition is possible, depending on how this matter is handled. Personally I think it can take place through normal channels after so many years of revolution.” “If the international community will approach Cuba through dialogue, the situation can...

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's communist government has signaled a crackdown on black-market satellite dishes used by citizens to get news and views from its arch enemy, the United States, nine days after ailing leader Fidel Castro temporarily relinquished power to his brother. The Communist Party newspaper Granma warned that the dishes, which many Cubans use to watch Spanish-language TV programs from the exile bastion of Miami, could be used by the U.S. government to broadcast subversive information. "They are fertile ground for those who want to carry out the Bush administration's plan to destroy the Cuban revolution," said the newspaper,...