Thursday, July 17, 2008

Fidel Castro's First Resignation

49 years ago today, Fidel Castro resigned for the first time. Then it was the premiership that he occupied, not the presidency. His so-called resignation was a ruse intended to force his handpicked president, Manuel Urrutia, from office. Urrutia, the judge who had cast the dissenting vote to acquit Castro for the attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953 but had signed thousands of execution orders as Cuba's puppet president, in violation of the Constitution of 1940 which abolished the death penalty and the oath he had taken to uphold it, had the annoying habit (at least it annoyed Castro) of repeating over and over again that "his government" was not Communist. In the beginning Castro had also denied it, but by July 1959 he had taken umbrage with the constant demands that he disavow Communism and had gone so far as to say that he was not an anti-Communist ("We will not attack Communists so that others will refrain from calling us Communists. That is not what honorable men do").

The more ambiguous Castro became about his political ideology the more adamant Urrutia sounded in denouncing Communist "influences" in Cuba. The chief "influence," of course, was Castro himself; but since Urrutia owed both his national reputation and his office to Castro he was long in realizing that he was not merely a puppet (common enough in Republican politics) but the stooge of Communists. When Comandante Pedro Díaz Lanz, chief of the Revolutionary Air Force, became the first defector to expose Castro as a Communist, Urrutia refused to believe him and demanded Díaz Lanz's extradition from the U.S. so that he could stand trial for treason.

This might have seemed to some an elaborate ruse to win time: Castro erecting the foundations of Communism while Urrutia assured everybody no such thing was happening or could happen. But if was not a ruse. Urrutia believed, as did most Cubans at the time, that this blood-drenched regime which had murdered more Cubans in 6 months than had ever perished from political violence in the previous 56 years of Republican rule, was not the sum of its acts but the sum of its (unfulfilled) promises. He could sanction virtually anything and did so long as he was allowed to believe that it was in pursuit of some nebulous greater good and brighter future. Man's capacity for self-deception is limitless and it is ironic that a label frightened Urrutia more than the reign of terror he had helped to inaugurate and sustain. The label he opposed while the thing itself he ignored. If that label had been any other than "Communist" and the crimes identical, his conscience would have been malleable enough to dismiss all objections to the new order.

Not even when Castro stopped consulting or even apprising Urrutia of his plans did the puppet president lose faith in his ability to counter these Communist "influences" which now engulfed and isolated him. It was then that Urrutia did something unprecedented in the political history of Cuba or any other country: The president went on strike, absenting himself from meetings of the Council of Ministers and refusing to sign the latest decrees dictated by Castro. How long he proposed to maintain this "passive resistance" to the government over which he nominally presided is anybody's guess. Perhaps until he got Castro's assurances again that he was not a Communist.

In the showdown between the dictator and the puppet, is was the dictator that blinked. His "blink," however, had the force of a hurricane: Fidel Castro abruptly announced his decision to resign as Prime Minister. When asked the reason for his resignation, Castro averred that: "I am an enemy of cheap theatrics and histrionics in public life." Thus spake one of its most accomplished masters in the supreme moment of contrived high drama in his dictatorial career.

That very day signs went up everywhere in Cuba pleading with Castro to reconsider his decision:

"¡Con Fidel hasta el fin!"
["With you, Fidel, to the end!"]

"¿Renuncia, para qué?"
[Resignation? What for?]

"¡Fidel, Cuba te necesita!"
["Fidel, Cuba needs you!"]

"Malanga de pie antes que pollo de rodillas."
["Better to eat malanga on our feet than chicken on our knees."]

"Fidel, limpia el gobierno de vacilantes."
["Fidel, clean the government of vacillators."]

"Fidel o muerte."
["Fidel or death"].

Castro himself led the first acto de repudio in Cuban history at the studios of CMQ Television against the titular president of the Republic. He accused Urrutia of fomenting the myth of Communist infiltration in order to facilitate foreign intervention. Representatives from unions and civic organization, now completely co-opted by Castroites, appeared on the program to demand Urrutia's resignation and convince Castro to reconsider his own. With the whole nation seemingly turned against him and protesters gathering outside the Presidential Palace, Urrutia submitted his own resignation to the Council of Ministers and the news was announced to the jubilant audience before the conclusion of the broadcast.

Castro, of course, had renounced nothing but a title (and one which he had bestowed on himself). His power, which was already absolute, he had not relinquished for a minute. Urrutia's replacement was a Communist lawyer named Osvaldo Dorticós, unknown to most Cubans and a puppet who was never tempted to pull his own strings.

Castro withdrew his own resignation as premier at the first July 26th rally in Santiago de Cuba.

88 comments:

Anonymous said...

Boring

Anonymous said...

Fantomas has removed the censor stamp on Babalu. Is he ready to make peace with the 3 million dollar devil?

Is he trying to get back to the #2 slot on Babalu blog link list

Secret conversations taking place

Fantomas will not fool me

Diplomacy @ work

Anonymous said...

don't EVER say anything like that again. Have I made myself perfectly clear?
Have you got that clear?

Anonymous said...

We're going to party like it's 1999!

I'll bring the water!

Posted by albertodelacruz at July 17, 2008 06:41 PM

I am NOT suprised. You guys are NUMERO UNO. Estan calientes.


Posted by Henry Agueros at July 17, 2008 06:45 PM

Vana said...

Manuel:

I remember when Castro resigned, not because I heard him say it, but because of the furor it caused, the people went crazy with their little chants, it was one of Castro's ploy done by the most histrionic man in history, more so than Mussolini.

Vana said...

BTW guess Fidel took the people's chants seriously, there is no chicken and very little malanga.

Anonymous said...

If Obama can meet with Raúl, why can't Fantomas meet with Val? My advice to Obama and Val is to keep their backs to the wall.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

vana:

I could have lived 50 years eating malanga. To think that Cubans once thought that eating malanga was the worst fate that could befall them! During the Special Period, they were even admonished to eat grass.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

fantomas:

Babalú can't afford to lose you. You are their conduit to the Spanish-speaking blogosphere. You're practically the only listener to the Babalú Faux Radio Hour.

I hope that the "secret conversations" that you have announced here will lead to your rehabilitation.

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT,

this is an awesome post and amazing story. Castro makes Machiavelli look like a school kid.
How long after this did he give the speech where he says "I'm a Marxist..."?

Anonymous said...

A mi me gusta el ñame y a Fantomas el boniato

Anonymous said...

A mi me gusta el dulce de coco y el polle de front yard.

Anonymous said...

pollo a la front yard

Anonymous said...

Los tres millones van.

Vana said...

Admonished to eat grass? what a bunch of murderous thugs the regime is, I think even a child knows the body cannot digest grass.

I too could have spent 50 years eating malanga in a free Cuba.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

ms. calabaza:

Castro declared Cuba a socialist state on April 16, 1961 (the day before the Bay of Pigs) and himself a Marxist-Leninist on December 2, 1961.

Anonymous said...

A mi me gusta el fufu y a Fantomas los mangos

Anonymous said...

If I refresh 500,000 times will that get the party started sooner?

Posted by Claudia4Libertad at July 17, 2008 06:40 PM

Anonymous said...

La italiana quiere fiesta

Anonymous said...

A mi me gusta la cherna.

Anonymous said...

Beware, she is married

Anonymous said...

What is cherna?

Anonymous said...

If I refresh 500,000 times will that get the party started sooner?

Posted by Claudia4Libertad at July 17, 2008 06:40 PM

don't need to do that Caludia-- Val picked up a day laborer in front of Home Depot for that job.

Anonymous said...

What is cherna?

Henry is a cherna.

Anonymous said...

cherna = manmeat

Vana said...

Cherna is Red Snapper.

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT,

thanks for that.

Anonymous said...

thank you Vana.

Now, what is pargo?

Anonymous said...

Red Snapper= Pargo

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Not 3 million "readers" for Babalú but 3 million visits.

There is a difference.

If Babalú has 1800 readers who visit at least once a day that would equal 600,000 visits a year, which over 5 years would total 3 million visits.

1800 readers = 3 million visits

Anonymous said...

las calculadora te esta fallando ?

Anonymous said...

Mat, cuantas visitas son tuyas ?

1 millon?

1.5 millones?

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

More and more every day.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Remember that one fantomas equals at least 10,000 visits per week alone.

Anonymous said...

Vana,

Cherna es Grouper

Anonymous said...

Only Val can state that he's humble while blowing his own horn. Priceless!

Anonymous said...

If Babalú has 1800 readers who visit at least once a day that would equal 600,000 visits a year, which over 5 years would total 3 million visits.

1800 readers = 3 million visits

Except that most people check in various times a day depending on how bored they are at work. Not to mention Val and his cadre of writers who check in ALMOST as much as they check in on RCAB.

Anonymous said...

14 cadres hit Babalu at least 20 times each every day

Anonymous said...

Val-How about a lunchtime celebration at "El Intrasijente"?

Posted by omar at July 17, 2008 09:45 PM

Correction-"El Intransijente".

Posted by omar at July 17, 2008 09:47 PM

Felicidades Val y demas que hacen posible este unico y especial blog..!!!

GUAOOOO...!!!!

saludos

Posted by tony44 at July 17, 2008 10:11 PM

Anonymous said...

Manuel y la bandera ..Ya te olvidaste de eso

Vana said...

OMG yes you are so right Pargo is Red Snapper...sorry

Vana said...

Anon 9:57

Thank you I didn't know that, it's never too late to learn.

Anonymous said...

coñooooooooooooooooooo

The 3-million-hit bash is going to be big. No wonder Val was renovating his house.....

Anonymous said...

Tonight's new word:

What do you call when you simultaneously brag and state that you are humble all in one sentence?

a "Valaprop"

Anonymous said...

how about:


vALARDOSO o vALARDE

Anonymous said...

ok ok I got one:

Valrrogant

or

Valpompously

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

This is just the preliminary horn-blowing. They haven't actually reached 3 million yet, although just one "Fidel Is Dead" post should get them over the top.

Anonymous said...

Continuan desapareciendo los blogs cubanos

http://estanciacubana.net/

Angel Garzón said...

Vana said...

"...it was one of Castro's ploy done by the most histrionic man in history, more so than Mussolini."

Very good analysis of the beast's personality Vana, his mannerisms were copied from his hero of earlier years, Adolf Hitler, who had been guided and perfected by an acting coach, Hitler himself had confessed in his early years as Chancellor that it was Benito Mussolini's style that he admired and strived to emulate. In the case of fidel, he has always lacked a personal trait that the Führer and Il Duce possessed despite their character failures, I´m referring to courage, Hitler proved his in WWI and Mussolini not only in the same conflict, but also during the time when Hitler demanded the persecution of Italian Jews, which Il Duce never acquiesced, fidel has never displayed any form of valor or courage in the face of clear, imminent and present danger, he has always managed to bark while his personal safety has been clearly secured, when that has not been the case he has chosen to flee, hide or do both, his brother Raul is an even worse example of cowardness, both of them are nothing more that bullies, goons and scum.

Vana said...

Angel:

Only a fool would choose to use Mussolini's mannerisms he looked like a buffon during his speeches, the few I have see in documentaries have made me laugh, while I do admire in him the fact that he turned a deaf ear to Hitler about persecuting Italy's jews, nevertheless he was a clown.

Right you are when you say Fidel and his brother are cowards, they let others do the dirty work, while they escape unscathed.

nonee moose said...

Cucharita.

Alex said...

Ni pincha ni corta

Anonymous said...

One more bleg
If anyone out there works at a local Miami area bank or has a good contact with someone that does, can you please email me? I need some technical assistance.

Thanks.

Posted by Val Prieto at 01:52 PM | Habla (0) | Leenkaso (0)

Anonymous said...

Prieto is the guy who holds himself out as a spokesman for Miami's Cuban-American exile community and is looked to often times when the media needs a quote or a sound bite from a CA in Miami. But yesterday, as he did at SotP so many times before, Val Prieto demonstrated that he is nothing more than a Cuban-American hardliner goon who resorts to thuggery when someone doesn't view Cuban politics the way he does. What the media really needs to know is that Val Prieto is a crass, boorish, vulger and dangerous Cuban-American troglodyte, who no more represents the Cuban-American community than the Tropichop Max at Pollo Tropical represents the quality of food you can buy in Little Havana.

Anonymous said...

Hey "Rick" did you recieve an invitation for the 3-million-hit party.

Anonymous said...

los tres millonis van !

Vana said...

LOL...no comments on Val's beg post.

Anonymous said...

Target day for los 3 millones

Julio 26 Ataque al Cuartel Moncada

Sabado

Party en la Calle 8 ( Val estara firmando los autografos de 6pm a 8pm dentro del Restaurante)

Domingo Lunch with Val at the Intransijente Restaurant

Feature dessert: Mermelada de mango de Bayamo

Also, Val Prieto will appear on Oscar Haza show monday, Tuesday he will be with Maria Elvira and Alexis Valdez on Thursday

Next week Val will be reinvited to the White House . Still he will need to use the back door

Anonymous said...

Val need a loan with low interest to finish the kitchen cabinets and to pay the Mexican help

In exchange for Babalu Ads and a honorific mention a BTR

Val was seen in front of Home Depot ringin the bell for the Salvation Army ( will he pocket the pledge money)

Centurion said...

LOS BANNED BANNED
– the all Blablablu band- will be performing live at the 3 million hit bash. Some of their hits include:

El limosnero (son-by V Prieto)
Pollos y Cocos(rumba- by V Prieto)
El mea piedra (salsa- by G Moneo)
Pass the kleenex (danson-by Ziva)

Vana said...

LMAO...Serafin.

Anonymous said...

July 26 party@ Val's house after 8th ST Celebration

Invitation only

No cameras allowed inside

Discuss

Anonymous said...

Val you owe Manuel 100k hits

Fantomas 20 k

Alex 10k

Vana 5k

In other words RCAB has provided Mr 3 mil with almost 200k visits as referidos

Anonymous said...

George Moneo will perform

" El Guiñol de Al Gore"

Moneo will arrive at Val's house metido en una palangana con 4 rueditas in order to save the environment

Way to go George

Se especula que Claudia Fanelli viene en un Amish Coche desde PA

Y Ziva decidio coger la Greyhound Ella saldra de CA El lunes 21 para ver si llega antes del 26

Alberto de la Cruz ( el aguatero de Val) nadara desde su casa hasta la casa de Val

Henry Gomez usara el carro de Joe Garcia para transportar a su familia

Anonymous said...

Seriamente, Manuel, de las 1800 visitas que dice usted que se hacen a Babalu diariamente, cuantas de esas es usted? 1200?

Val le debe mandar un regalito.

Anonymous said...

"Henry Gomez usara el carro de Joe Garcia para transportar a su familia"

lol lol ... lol .... lol

Anonymous said...

dondes estas fantomas ?

Is today payday ?

Anonymous said...

what's a Guiñol ?

Anonymous said...

" El Guiñol de Al Gore"

Moneo will arrive at Val's house metido en una palangana con 4 rueditas in order to save the environment

El Guiñol en Cuba es un show de titeres. En este caso Val sujeta la cuerda desde arriba mientras Moneo hace un strip tease

Anonymous said...

Moneo will arrive at Val's house metido en una palangana con 4 rueditas in order to save the environment


"Henry Gomez usara el carro de Joe Garcia para transportar a su familia"

Fantomas tu talento realmente esta en Holywood. Eres un extraordinario cuentista . Tienes futuro. Vete para California

Anonymous said...

JULY 26 3 MILLION TARGET DAY


Babalu Blog
Site Summary

VISITS

Total 2,956,137
Average Per Day 3,415
Average Visit Length 1:37
Last Hour 270
Today 3,484
This Week 23,902

Centurion said...

FAA Announces Flight Restrictions for the 3-million-hit-bash within a 10 mile radius- that means no planes, hot air balloons, chiringas, papalotes.

The venue will be heavily guarded--
Paparazzis NOT WELCOME- El Gordo y La Flaca have the exclusive rights to the great event.

Anonymous said...

Phamtomas has upgraded his blog

Out with the old In with the new

Wow

Manuel te estas quedando rezagado mijito

Anonymous said...

dondes estas fantomas ?

Is today payday ?



Fantomas cobro el dia 15 y ya no tiene ni un centavo

Anonymous said...

Que se tendra MAT entre mano ?
Muy calladito hoy.

Anonymous said...

El esta ahi observando calladito como suben los comments parece que llegara a 100 otra vez en este thread

Anonymous said...

Manuel, all of your personalities are brilliantly funny today. No wonder you haven't left a comment under your name.

Anonymous said...

Manuel, esta deprimido. No lo invitaron a la fiesta.

Fantomas said...

I'm back . I see you have all used my name in vain again

Anonymous said...

fantomas,

tu conozes us banquero? Val necesita un loan.

Anonymous said...

Credibility factor is at at minus 1.

Moneo diciendo malas palabras otra vez

T. Boone, really, Algore for Energy Czar? And Michael Moore for Secretary of State? Maybe Kos as Secretary of Defense? Give me a fucking break. Forgive me if I just laugh at your commercials from now on.

Posted by George Moneo at 07:23 PM | Habla (0) | Leenkaso (0)

Fantomas said...

I know no banker in Miami

Anonymous said...

Fantomas como van las negociaciones con Babalu? Te invitaron a la fiesta en Kendall? 3 milliones y por lo menos 50,000 hits son tuyos. Me dijeron que ya tienes a henry en el bolsillo pero George no quiere nada contigo. Es verdad?

Anonymous said...

George dice malas palabras?

Anonymous said...

El poodle tiene rabia

Fantomas said...

El presidente de la organización sindical norteamericana, AFL-CIO, John Sweeney, le escribió una carta a Raúl Castro, en la que denuncia el arresto y encarcelamiento de periodistas independientes, sindicalistas y activistas democráticos.



Sweeney enfatizó que a pesar de que escribió hace cinco años una carta al gobernante Fidel Castro, en la que pedía la libertad de sindicalistas, todavía éstos continúan en prisión, con la excepción de uno de ellos, que se encuentra con licencia extrapenal por motivo de salud.



Los nombres de los seis dirigentes sindicales son: Alfredo Felipe Fuentes, Miguel Galván, Iván Hernández Carrillo, Nelson Molinet Espino, Héctor Raúl Valle Fernández y Carmelo Díaz Fernández, éste último en licencia extra-penal por enfermedad.



La denuncia de Sweeney, a nombre del sindicato AFL-CIO, se resume en pedir a Raúl Castro, la inmediata liberación de los seis sindicalistas presos y de todos los prisioneros políticos que defienden la libertad de expresión y de asociación.



Y en segundo orden, la carta pide garantías de libertad para los trabajadores cubanos y el derecho a formar sindicatos, así como el derecho a la negociación colectiva, sin intimidación, abusos, ni encarcelamientos.

Anonymous said...

How come that it does not matter what Manuel writes it always goes back to babalu? Sad.

Anonymous said...

Babalu is the reason why many of us come here. It is a democratic act. It is the right thing to do. It is sad how Babalu desecrated the Cuban Flag

Muy triste