Its not about cigars!!

Who said it’s a globalised world? Apart from people still surviving on less than a dollar a day yet be part of the country which claims to have embraced globalization there are many countries which are embittered by seclusion, in varying degrees. Cuba is one such nation not quite far but just 90 miles from USA, the solo superpower of this world. Cuba’s tussle with USA dates back to some decades back and it has remained relentlessly without acquiescing to US hegemony despite economic embargo for 47 years. It’s a different story that this pride of Cubans is at the terrible cost of their sufferings, sorrow and deprivation.

This enormous power of a tiny island nation against the mammoth comes from its charismatic leader Fidel Castro, a revolutionary who led a 9000 strong guerilla army to eject out Fulgencio Batista, the military ruler in 1959. Since then his rule over the nation for 49 years has been invincible. This 81 years old ailing leader brought the world’s eye suddenly on Cuba when he announced on Tuesday that he has stepped aside as Cuba’s president. This is clearly a victory for the octogenarian against the US which had orchestrated many assassination plots on him with the aid of CIA. Some as unimaginable as fixing bombs in cigars and under the shells of turtles when Castro was out scuba diving. This news of descent of the staunch socialist brought cheer amongst the exiled Cubans, living in Miami, waiting to return and take control of their seized properties. And many American Investors in Florida are waiting with millions of money to rebuild Cuba.

The travails of life of Cubans may or may not undergo transformation. However, the leader of the socialist nation assured its people that the revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and others who are very young in the early stage of process. What remains to be seen is would USA be able to instill a transitional government which it has been trying hard by supplying aid to the Cuban dissidents ever since the rise of Mr. Castro. But the pride Cubans, to whom the socialist regime had offered free education and health care, may not let Cuba turn into just another colony of USA.