2006–2008 Cuban Transfer Of Presidential Duties
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The 2006–2008 Cuban transfer of presidential duties was the transfer of the title of president and presidential duties from longtime Cuban leader
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
to his brother, First Vice President
Raúl Castro Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz ( ; ; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban retired politician and general who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the One-par ...
, the next-in-line-of-succession person in Cuba, following Fidel's operation and recovery from an undisclosed digestive illness believed to be
diverticulitis Diverticulitis, also called colonic diverticulitis, is a gastrointestinal disease characterized by inflammation of abnormal pouches—Diverticulum, diverticula—that can develop in the wall of the large intestine. Symptoms typically include lo ...
. Although Raúl Castro exercised the duties of
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
, Fidel Castro retained the title of president of the Council of State of Cuba and president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, during this period. Fidel had been in power since
Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution () was the military and political movement that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had ruled Cuba from 1952 to 1959. The revolution began after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état, in which Batista overthrew ...
and held the title of prime minister of Cuba since 1959. At the time of his operation in July 2006, he was nearly 80 years old and the last governing communist leader from the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
era. Fidel felt proud to have not only thwarted the
Bay of Pigs Invasion The Bay of Pigs Invasion (, sometimes called or after the Playa Girón) was a failed military landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba in April 1961 by the United States of America and the Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Front ...
, CIA attempts to assassinate him, and acts of Cuban exile violence, but also to have outlived the Cold War and the
USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. For years, he had exhorted the Cuban people to brave the crippling effects of the U.S. embargo against Cuba (largely to whip up patriotic fury against the
U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
) and the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. While the radical left (especially Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales) praised Castro as a tireless defender of the poor and oppressed in Latin America and Africa while standing up to U.S. hegemony in the Americas, Fidel Castro's sworn enemies, namely the U.S. and Cuban-Americans, saw him as a ruthless tyrant who broke his promise to restore democracy to Cuba by imposing a repressive communist government on the island that muzzled all opposition and wrecked the Cuban economy. On February 19, 2008, Fidel announced that he would not stand for re-election as president at the next meeting of the National Assembly of People's Power. Raúl was elected president by the National Assembly on February 24, 2008. Fidel Castro remained the
first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba is the Supreme leader, top leader of Cuba. The First Secretary is the highest office within the Communist Party of Cuba as well as ranking first in the Politburo of the C ...
until 2011.


July 2006 announcement

The transfer of duties was announced in a proclamation read on state television at 8:15 p.m. by Castro's secretary, Carlos Valenciaga. The proclamation appeared on the Granma website that night and was printed in Cuba's national newspaper ''Granma'', the next day. In his statement of delegation, Castro stated: "The operation has obliged me to take several weeks of rest, at a remove from my responsibilities and duties." The proclamation transferred to his brother the functions as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, comandante of the
Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
, president of the
Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...
, and of the government of the Republic of Cuba. It transferred other functions to José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera, José Ramón Machado Ventura, Esteban Lazo Hernández, and Carlos Lage Dávila. Castro also announced in his statement that he had spoken to the Guayasamín Foundation, whose responsibilities included organizing his upcoming 80th birthday celebrations on August 13, 2006. He requested that the group postpone the celebrations until December 2, 2006, the 50th anniversary of the ''Granma'' landing. The letter ended with the Cuban leader's customary pronouncements: "Imperialism will never be able to crush Cuba. The Battle of Ideas will continue advancing. ¡Viva la Patria! ¡Viva la Revolución! ¡Viva el Socialismo! ¡Hasta la Victoria Siempre! (Long live the Motherland! Long live the revolution! Long live socialism! Ever onward to victory!)". The transfer of power was in line with Article 94 of the Cuban Constitution, which states: "In cases of the absence, illness or death of the president of the
Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...
, the first vice president assumes the president's duties".


Timeline


2006


July

* July 26 – Fidel Castro was present at the 53rd anniversary celebrations of the assault on Moncada Barracks. Prior to that, Castro had just returned from a visit to a
Mercosur The Southern Common Market (commonly known by abbreviation ''Mercosur'' in Spanish and ''Mercosul'' in Portuguese) is a South American trade bloc established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full me ...
summit in Córdoba, Argentina, which included a confrontation with a group of journalists over the issue of providing a visa for Cuban
dissident A dissident is a person who actively challenges an established political or religious system, doctrine, belief, policy, or institution. In a religious context, the word has been used since the 18th century, and in the political sense since the 2 ...
Dr. Hilda Molina, as well as a visit to
Che Guevara Ernesto "Che" Guevara (14th May 1928 – 9 October 1967) was an Argentines, Argentine Communist revolution, Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and Military theory, military theorist. A majo ...
's childhood home. In his announcement printed in the Cuban media, Castro stated that the "days and nights of continuous work, almost without sleep took its toll on my health, put me under extreme stress and my health was affected". * July 31 – a proclamation was made transferring control of the responsibilities and functions of the government to Castro's brother, Raúl. Fidel Castro was subsequently hospitalized because of what the Cuban government said was
gastrointestinal bleeding Gastrointestinal bleeding (GI bleed), also called gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GIB), is all forms of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the rectum. When there is significant blood loss over a short time, symptoms may includ ...
, which it attributed to stress. Later, a message the Cuban government said was from Castro, saying that his health was stable, was read on state television.


August

* August 7 – Cuban intellectual and government member, Roberto Fernández Retamar, further fueled speculation of Castro's ultimate demise by saying at a news conference, "They (U.S. Government) had not expected that a peaceful succession was possible. A peaceful succession has taken place in Cuba." * August 13 – Castro's 80th birthday, the Cuban government released a statement it attributed to Castro which read: "I ask you all to be optimistic, and at the same time to be ready to face any adverse news... For all those who care about my health, I promise I'll fight for it." The government also released photos showing Castro using a telephone and posing with a recent Granma edition dated August 12. * August 14 – the Cuban television channels showed a six-minute clip of
Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; ; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician, Bolivarian Revolution, revolutionary, and Officer (armed forces), military officer who served as the 52nd president of Venezuela from 1999 until De ...
visiting Castro.


September

* September 3 – Castro was able to write notes and give orders as he recovered from surgery, Venezuelan President
Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; ; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician, Bolivarian Revolution, revolutionary, and Officer (armed forces), military officer who served as the 52nd president of Venezuela from 1999 until De ...
said. "He's writing already, (before) he couldn't even write, he was in recovery," Chávez said during his weekly Sunday broadcast, showing a handwritten note he said Castro had given him during his surprise visit to Cuba the previous week. "He already sits up, writes, he has a phone, he gives orders, instructions." Castro's exact health problem was kept a state secret in Cuba, leading to intense speculation over his condition and the future of Cuba's government. He had not been seen in public since the announcement of the handover. Televised images taken during Chávez's visit showed Castro sitting up and speaking enthusiastically in further evidence that he is recovering. * September 5 – the Cuban government released a letter from Castro stating, ''"It can be affirmed that the most critical moment has been left behind. Today, I recover at a satisfactory pace."''


October

* October 28 – Images of Castro walking, talking on the telephone and reading the day's newspaper were broadcast in Cuba. Castro also dismissed rumors that he was dead, saying that he was taking part in government decisions, following the news and making regular phone calls.


November

* November 6 – Cuban foreign minister, Felipe Perez Roque, backed away from his earlier prediction that Castro would return to power in early December, further fueling speculation that Castro's health was much worse than Cuban government officials were saying.


December

* December 2 – Castro failed to show for a parade celebrating his 80th birthday, further fueling speculation that he was gravely ill and would never return to power. * December 24 – Spanish newspaper ''
El Periódico de Catalunya EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
'' reported that Spanish surgeon José Luis García Sabrido had been flown to Cuba on a plane chartered by the Cuban government. Dr. García Sabrido is an intestinal expert who further specializes in the treatment of cancer. The plane in which Dr. García Sabrido traveled was reported to be carrying a large quantity of advanced medical equipment. * December 26 – shortly after returning to Madrid, Dr. García Sabrido held a news conference in which he answered questions about Castro's health. He stated that "He does not have cancer, he has a problem with his digestive system," and added, "His condition is stable. He is recovering from a very serious operation. It is not planned that he will undergo another operation for the moment."


2007


January

* January 16 – Spanish paper ''
El País (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. is based in the capital city of Madrid and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA. It is the second-most circulated daily newspaper in Spain . is the most read newspaper in ...
'' stated in a large article that Castro was in critical condition after three operations and that he was now fed through an infusion. According to El País, Castro was suffering from a severe infection of the abdominal membrane. * January 20 – Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez claimed Castro was "fighting for his life"; a Spanish surgeon, who had not examined Castro believed that the Cuban was "in a grave condition". * January 30 – Cuban television and the paper ''Juventud Rebelde'' showed a fresh video and photos from a meeting between Castro and Hugo Chávez said to have taken place the previous day.


February

* February 28 – Castro made a surprise phone call to Venezuelan President
Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; ; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician, Bolivarian Revolution, revolutionary, and Officer (armed forces), military officer who served as the 52nd president of Venezuela from 1999 until De ...
's radio talk show Aló Presidente, and the two leaders conversed live on air for thirty minutes. During the conversation, Castro declared that he now had "more energy and strength".


April

* April 21 – Top Chinese official Wu Guanzheng met
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
and
Raúl Castro Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz ( ; ; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban retired politician and general who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the One-par ...
in
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.bilateral talks between the two countries. Fidel Castro was photographed shaking hands with the Chinese official and was reported to have gained back some of the weight he lost during his illness.


May

* May 1 – Castro failed to make a public appearance at May Day celebrations in Cuba for only the third time in nearly five decades. * May 29 – Castro wrote about his illness for the first time, stating that he had three operations to halt the intestinal bleeding that sidelined him in July 2006. He added that he was fed by intravenous lines and catheters "for many months" before making a slow recovery.


December

* December 18 – Castro hinted at the possibility of retiring for the first time, stating that his "basic duty is not to cling to office".


2008


February

* February 19 – Castro officially declined to stand for re-election as President of the State Council, declaring that he "will not aspire to or accept" the presidential position nor that of the commander-in-chief, therefore ending a 49-year incumbency. * February 24 – The National Assembly of People's Power unanimously selects
Raúl Castro Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz ( ; ; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban retired politician and general who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the One-par ...
to succeed Fidel as President of the State Council.


Reaction in the Americas


Caribbean

Along with well wishes from many leaders from around the world, the prime minister of the Federation of
Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis, is an island country consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Less ...
, Dr. Denzil Douglas wished the "political legend" Castro a swift recovery on behalf of the
Caribbean Community The Caribbean Community (abbreviated as CARICOM or CC) is an intergovernmental organisation that is a Political association, political and economic union of 15 member states (14 nation-states and one dependency) and five associated members thro ...
(CARICOM). Douglas was unwavering in his support, saying, "At this challenging time for the people of Cuba, we of Caricom want them to know that we wish for President Fidel Castro a successful recovery, and soon. He has proven to be a great friend of the Caribbean and of all poor and developing countries struggling for a better life for their peoples." He also warned against trying to create instability during the transition, adding: "We in CARICOM sincerely hope that as President Castro...recovers, and acting President Raúl Castro takes on the very demanding responsibilities as Head of State, that there would be no adventurism on the part of any and from whatever quarter, to create problems for the Cuban people..." Thereafter
Saint Lucia Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...
's Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony also issued a series of well wishes for his Cuban counterpart. Dr. Anthony said he was just as surprised as the Cuban people and the rest of the world by the sudden news of President Castro's illness. But, he added, he was "also confident that he is receiving the best medical care in the world, because the quality of health care in Cuba is exceedingly good and I'm sure he is being given the very best medical care. In his press release the Saint Lucian Prime Minister also said, "The Cabinet of Ministers, and indeed the people of Saint Lucia, have much admiration for the Cuban President and his personal interest in making humanitarian and social assistance available to Saint Lucia and the rest of the Caribbean, especially in the fields of health and education."


United States

On July 31, just hours prior to the announcement of Castro's condition,
U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
told WAQI-AM, a Spanish-language radio station in Miami, "If Fidel Castro were to move on because of natural causes, we've got a plan in place to help the people of Cuba understand there's a better way than the system in which they've been living under. No one knows when Fidel Castro will move on. In my judgment, that's the work of the Almighty." On August 2, Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah) said President Bush told him the administration was surprised by the announcement of Castro's illness, "The president's comment was that everybody was caught by surprise, and we'll have to wait and see what U.S. action is necessary. I think all of us can say we had no idea this was coming." Senators met in Washington, D.C. to discuss "A Democratic Cuba After Castro", as many senators argued that the United States should have a plan in case the United States would need to offer any help to Cuba during a transfer of duties.
Cuban-American Cuban Americans ( or ) are Americans who immigrated from or are descended from immigrants from Cuba. As of 2023, Cuban Americans were the fourth largest Hispanic and Latino Americans, Hispanic and Latino American group in the United States aft ...
Senator Mel Martinez stated that he and many other Cuban-Americans regard
Raúl Castro Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz ( ; ; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban retired politician and general who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the One-par ...
as a temporary figure and not someone capable of leading Cuba into the future. There were celebrations among the large Cuban-American population of Miami, Florida,
Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
, and several other smaller Cuban communities in the US opposed to Castro's regime. On August 3, 2006, the White House released the following statement:


Latin America

President of Venezuela The president of Venezuela (), officially known as the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (), is the executive head of state and head of government of Venezuela. The president leads the National Executive of the Venezuelan go ...
Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; ; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician, Bolivarian Revolution, revolutionary, and Officer (armed forces), military officer who served as the 52nd president of Venezuela from 1999 until De ...
and
President of Bolivia The president of Bolivia (), officially known as the president of the Plurinational State of Bolivia (), is head of state and head of government of Bolivia and the captain general of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. According to the Bolivian C ...
Evo Morales both made statements of support for Castro's recovery.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (; born Luiz Inácio da Silva; 27 October 1945), known Mononym, mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist and former metalworker who has served as the 39th president of Brazil since 2023. A mem ...
, the Brazilian president and a long-time friend of Castro, said "Cubans alone should decide on a possible presidential successor. The succession process is a decision the Cuban people will have to take". Numerous Latin American publications, including
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
's '' La República'', and
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
's '' La Razón'', ran front-page articles about the event, featuring pictures of a frail-looking Castro, head in hand. Others, such as
Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
's '' La Crónica de Hoy'' and '' El Sol de México,'' focused on the bond between Castro and his brother Raúl, the former showing a picture of the two walking together, the latter a picture of an elderly Fidel with arm held aloft by Raúl. A headline in Peru's ''La República'' declared Castro's cessation of duties to be "the end of an era", while
Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
's '' El Universal'' said the event was "unprecedented in 47 years of power." On August 5, 2006, the
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
ian newspaper '' Folha de S.Paulo'' reported that Cuban authorities had informed Brazilian president Lula da Silva that Castro's health was much worse than what the Cuban government had previously admitted in public, contending that he was suffering from intestinal cancer and will be unable to resume control of the Cuban state. The Brazilian government quickly denied that the report was accurate. ''Folha''s editors responded to the government's denials by saying their sources were Castro's top aides.


See also

* Politics of Cuba


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transfer Of Presidential Duties, 2006-2008 Cuban 2006 in Cuba 2007 in Cuba 2008 in Cuba Fidel Castro