Published Tuesday, August 15, 2000, in the Miami Herald.
Here's a revolutionary idea: Fidel Castro cutting short his speeches. The Cuban dictator, the hemisphere's "marathon mouth,'' has given no talk longer than 90 minutes since offering a confession last month.
"I've concluded, perhaps a bit late, that speeches must be short,'' he said in an interview published by Granma, the state-run newspaper.
Perhaps a bit late? That's a whopping understatement. Pity the poor Cubans who for 41 years have had to suffer Castro harangues. His speeches have lasted as long as eight hours -- sometimes while audiences stood in the relentless Caribbean sun.
No wonder Castro recently shocked a crowd of 200,000 gathered for yet another anti-imperialist tirade. He spoke -- what a relief this must have been -- barely half an hour.
The onetime tireless orator claimed that "new and efficient forms'' for communicating "our truths'' now render his marathon speeches unnecessary. No one will argue, but given also his recent, abrupt bathroom breaks, memory lapses and otherwise odd -- even for him -- behavior,
physiological inevitabilities also may be taking a toll.
Having just turned 74, Castro ought to be retiring and giving the Cuban people more relief. Even if it's beyond late, it's time not only for Castro to give up long speeches, but also to relinquish power.
Copyright 2000 Miami Herald | 