A death foretold?

So, what happens now? Boy, I wish I had a dollar or two for every time I have been asked that question in the last 24 hours or so, in reference to Cuba and the amazing news emanating from Havana. And amazing it most certainly is: after 47 very, very long years in power, Fidel Castro has announced he is relinquishing power temporarily, to his annointed successor, his brother Raul, because of a serious illness.

There is a part of me that thinks Castro may indeed be in a critical state or even dead already, based on the strange way (for Cuba) that the announcement was made.Then again, rumours of Castro's impending death have been around for ... well, for 47 years.

When it comes to Castro, nothing in certain - that's the way things work in communist Cuba, as every Cuban inside or outside the island will confirm. It's what has kept the old dictator in power longer than any other head of government anywhere in the world. Uncertainty and fear.

Anyway, below is a link to an opinion piece I wrote for The Australian newspaper, published this morning.