Three years ago, Cuban leader Fidel Castro handed over power to his brother Raul due to his failing health. But that doesn’t mean he’s disappeared – he’s still making his presence felt on the political scene via regular columns on the internet.

By Anna Karina Rosales

The 83-year-old Fidel Castro handed power over to his brother Raul in 2006. The long-term leader’s health had deteriorated badly and after becoming ill before the eyes of the world, he decided it was time to retire.

His absence from the political stage created uncertainty and when rumours of his death began to circulate, videos were released proving that the old Revolutionary Commander was still alive.

While brother Raul took control of Cuba, Fidel took his time before re-appearing on the political scene – this time via internet. First he sent his columns named ‘Fidel’s Reflections’ to the official media outlets, the most important of which is the national newspaper Granma. Then two years ago he surprised everyone by sending his articles directly to the website Cuba Debate, a pro-government site which is visited mostly by foreigners as almost no-one inside Cuba has access to the internet.

Virtual Fidel Castro
When Fidel stepped down, speculation was rife that his health was in a deplorable state. But the last three years have shown that his mind and communicative skills are still working well. He even appears to have great political influence in different Latin American countries. But is it Fidel’s mind behind the columns? Some people are convinced it is not.

“All the images we see are completely manipulated and the same is probably true for the columns. I think it is all a product of the Cuban government’s propaganda machine,” says Juan Antonio Granados, managing director of “Cuba Free Press”, in Miami, a digital website that wants to provide a platform for freedom of opinion in Cuba . To Mr Granados these publications are just as implausible as the publications of any other dictator.

Revolution guide
Reuters correspondent, Esteban Israel, in Havana is more cautious. He has been living in Cuba for four years and says Fidel Castro’s articles are always first sent completely unexpectedly to the foreign press, announced by a text message. Mr Israel thinks the writings are “a clever way to conquer a new position on the political world stage, without being physically present.”

You could say Fidel Castro sets the tone in Cuba on the main national and international issues. People in Cuba still see him as the Comandante en Jefe; the biggest boss: he still holds the post of first secretary of Cuba’s Communist Party, the party’s highest office.
Mr Israël says Raúl and the other Cuban leaders have thought up a new term for Fidel: ‘The Revolution Guide’.

Message
Fidel sometimes takes a guarded stance on national and international news issues and at other times he is outspoken. Fidel’s reflections which appear on www.cubadebate.cu are used by the main Cuban media organisations the next day. According to Mr Israel, the difference is that before Fidel’s speeches were broadcast live on television. Now it is “up to the media” how they publish the texts.

Often ‘Fidel’s Reflections’, as the Cuban media call them, are literally read out on radio and TV.

The people do not hear his voice, but they do feel his presence, know what he thinks about the issues his brother does not deal with. This way Cubans know which events are important in the eyes of the Commandante.

Sackings
In this way Fidel explained the sacking of two of his most loyal trustees: vice-president Carlos Lage and foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque. Everyone, both inside and outside Cuba, was astonished by the sackings and no-one explained the reasoning behind them. On the website Cuba Debate, Fidel hinted at the reason: “The sweet taste of power (…) awakened ambitions, which led them to show unworthy behaviour.”

He also comments on international topics. At present he is even publishing his reflections on the power struggle in Honduras twice a day.

Comforting words
Now people are waiting for comforting words from Fidel, because the state of the economy in Cuba is very poor. The international economic crisis has resulted in a drop in income from tourism and from the nickel industry. Raul Castro has even announced cuts in health care and education.

Mr Israël: “Raúl has opened the hotels to Cubans and has given permission for the sale of computers and mobile phones. Many people expected more measures to be taken, but that has not happened.” Maybe Fidel can give them courage from his virtual world. Up to now he has not commented on his brother’s decisions in his thoughts.