Free Republic

HAVANA -- Waiting for Fidel. Waiting for him to die? Waiting for him to recover? Patiently waiting for any word on his status. Waiting to see some footage of him "jogging" -- as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has indicated. Waiting for something! Until Castro's health is sorted out, Cubans wait. But while they do, all the presidente's men are making plans to nail down their control of the island nation of 11 million. For decades ordinary people have been silently dreaming about what life would be like after Fidel. Suddenly they see their dreams are slipping away as el comandante's...

The city of Miami is planning an official celebration at the Orange Bowl whenever Cuban president Fidel Castro dies. Discussions by a committee appointed earlier this month by the city commission to plan the event have even covered issues such as a theme to be printed on T-shirts, what musicians would perform, the cost and how long the celebration would last. Such a gathering has long been part of the city's plan for Castro's death, but firming up the specifics has been more urgent since Castro became ill last summer and turned over power to his brother, Raul. City Commissioner...

Cubans have no idea whether dictator Fidel Castro is lying at death's door or sitting up and watching reruns of "Jeopardy." The health of the country's leader is a state secret. Even President Bush yesterday said he had no idea what the prognosis is for the ailing Mr. Castro. The situation is reminiscent of the secrecy surrounding the death of Josef Stalin in 1953. The only clue for Russians that the iron-fisted Soviet dictator had died was when radio stations started playing gloomy music and bells tolled. "There is a certain parallel between the Kremlin and Cuba," said award-winning Stalin...