The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has wished Fidel Castro a long and happy retirement following the Cuban leader’s decision not to return to office as president.
”We send revolutionary greetings to Fidel Castro. We wish him a long and happy retirement. We also send greetings and best wishes to the new leadership, headed by comrade Raul Castro Ruz, who are taking over the government,” Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement on Tuesday.
”Comrade Fidel holds a special place in South African hearts because of his decision to deploy thousands of soldiers to help our African liberation struggles.
”His intervention in the civil war in Angola became a crucial turning point in our struggle against apartheid capitalism,” Craven said.
Castro’s Cuba had been a ”shining symbol of hope” for the workers and poor people of the world.
”All this has been achieved despite cruel but fruitless attempts by ten American presidents, from Eisenhower to Bush, to overthrow the regime and assassinate its leaders. None of their threats, sanctions, blockades and propaganda, which continue to this day, have succeeded in removing the socialist government,” Craven said.
Castro announced his resignation in a letter published overnight in the official Communist Party daily Granma.
The letter he said he would not ”accept” or ”aspire to” the posts of head of state or commander-in-chief when the new Cuban National Assembly held its first meeting on Sunday.
After he fell ill, Castro (81) ”temporarily” gave up power to his younger brother Raul on July 31 2006.
He has not appeared in public since then. – Sapa