De Mortuis nil nisi Bonum? Probably Not

So President Chavez is dead; no more "raspberry beret" then.

I shall, in a way, miss his absurd - indeed sometimes almost surreal - rants; I suppose every stage needs a comedian sometimes.

For the Cubans' sake I hope that whichever of his socialist henchmen takes his place will be as generous as the late-lamented one; and for the Venezuelans' sake that the replacement might have at least a minimum understanding of economics or even a basic education.

There's an old joke:
"What would happen if the Sahara desert was taken over by communists?"
Nothing for a few years and then there'd be a shortage of sand."

With arguably the world's largest oil reserves, these socialist goons have a country with crumbling infrastructure and have had even to devalue their currency.  Typical left-wing balls-up - and remember that they have nationalised everything - normally the kiss of death it is true.  If a real lefty takes over I suppose they'll start making an atom bomb like that clown in North Korea.

Sic transit gloria - or perhaps not.

Until the next time

A "Brain" in charge in Cuba

President Raul Castro of Cuba

Image source: here

The indispensible International Herald Tribune has an interesting story today concerning Cuba.

Cuba has experienced great difficulties, right back to the disintegration of the USSR in 1991. Recently, three hurricanes which caused damage totalling $10 billion, together with the world economic crisis have hit the country very hard indeed.

In my view, the current President Castro appears to be a sensible man - far more so than the former "Lider Maximo."  He has told the people of Cuba that there must be economies, belt-tightening and austerity, grim, but it seems necessary, news.

Instead of continually spouting revolutionary slogans, President Castro talks sense.  For example consider the following quotes:

"The accounts don't square up.  You have to act with realism and adjust the dreams to the true possibilities."

"Two plus two always equals four, never five."

I think that the President's statements should be read by all the left-wing optimists and dreamers in the French trades unions, the CGT in particular - after all, President Castro could almost be quoting from Mrs Thatcher!

I hope that the incoming president of the USA will reach an accomodation with President Castro; the world is always better for sensible leaders.

And an article from the Daily Telegraph today suggests that things could soon improve, with President-elect Obama stating that he will lift travel restrictions and permit money transfers.  I think that this is a good thing, and hopeful for the future.

Until the next time