Fidel Castro Steps Down as Ruler of Cubahttp://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/19/america/castro.php

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/19/america/castro.php Now the legislative assembly will have to choose a successor. It's likely to be Senor Castro's younger hermano (brother) Raul. Raul was the one whom introduced Fidel to Marxist-Leninism, in the first place. Cuba, since amending it's constitution, is a representitive socialist republic. It features participatory democracy at the local level. http://www.newhumanist.com/geiser.html You do not even have to belong to the Communist party to hold office in Cuba. I hope that preferably it will not be Raul Castro becoming the next leader of Cuba, as it would lead to accusationd of nepotism, and also because he is not much younger than Fidel. Lastly I agree with my state's Governor Ted Strickland, in his opposition to the embargo in Cuba. The Cold War is over. We already trade with even more autoritarian regimes. What is needed is a free exchange of both goods and ideas.