Castro the coward, sounds about right

In Cambridge they are probably holding vigils for Castro, who handed over power to his brother. For the hard left, this is an opportunity to praise the glory that is their hero, Fidel. But the hand-off is not only an opportunity to plan a transition, whatever that might mean beyond the partying in Little Havana. It's also an opportunity to call out the Fidelistas and Chavezites.

For all his anti-American posturing over the years, Castro is really a coward. At least Hugo intimidated his opponents in a farcical election.

I agree with Andres Oppenheimer. Why fear something like an election, Fidel.? And hey you lefties don't give me crap about the U.S. embargo or literacy for the poor or "free" health care for the people. The poor prefer American dollars, a testament to the failure of socialism.

MADRID -- Watching Cuban President-for-life Fidel Castro's visit to Argentina while on vacation here recently, I couldn't help thinking about one of the greatest ironies of our time: The 79-year-old leader is still regarded by many as an icon of courage, when in fact he is the biggest coward among Latin American leaders.Fidel Castro a coward? You bet! Consider:

Unlike every other Latin American and Caribbean leader, Castro has not had the guts to allow a free election in 47 years.Unlike all other Latin American and Caribbean leaders, Castro is the only leader in the region who doesn't have the courage to allow independent political parties. In his island, only one party -- his -- is allowed, and whoever doesn't join it is suspected of being an "anti-social" element. According to the latest Amnesty International report, there are nearly 70 prisoners of conscience in Cuban prisons, while Human Rights Watch puts the figure at 306.Unlike all other regional leaders, Castro doesn't have the confidence to allow a single independent newspaper, radio or television station, or to allow people with different ideas to even appear on Cuban media. Cuba's laws specifically bar anybody in Cuba from publishing "non-authorized news" abroad, making those who do it liable to "enemy propaganda" charges that carry several years in prison.Unlike all other leaders in the region, Castro is afraid of allowing most of his people greater access to
the Internet. According to the World Bank's 2006 World Development Indicators, only 13 of every 1,000 Cubans have access to the Internet, compared with 267 of every 1,000 people in Chile, and 59 of every 1,000 people in Haiti. Regarding what Cubans can read on the Web, Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based advocacy group, says Cuba's Internet censorship is worse than China's.