Fidel+and+Raul+Castro+Caitlin+Connelly

Fidel Castro governed Cuba from 1959 until 2008. He formed Cuba into the first communist country in the western hemisphere. Fidel is famous for his heated, anti-american speeches. He started in government by running for election in the Cuban house of Representatives, but the election was stopped by Batista, the dictator at the time. Because of this, Fidel tried to start a revolution against the dictatorship. Fidel's brother, Raul Castro, assisted Fidel closley in everything he did. Raul was named as Fidel's sucessor by the Cuban House of Representatives when Fidel stated that he would not be re-elected while still recovering from his illness in February of 2008. Raul had served as prisident of Cuba since july of 2006 when Fidel was dealing with his illness. One of Rauls more urgent descisions is whether to reamain enemies with the U.S. After attmepting to overthrow the dictatorship during the Cuban Revolution, he was sento to exile in Mexico. He served many years as secondary secratary of the Cuban communist party. Fidel and Raul Castro have done both good and bad things for Cuba. Fidel led the Cuban revolution which freed Cuba from the Platt amendment and from being an American protectorate. It was good because it gave the Cubans back some of their dignity and pride. Fidel got financial aid and oil from Venezuela. In the first few decades of Fidels rule, there were big gains of education. In 1959, Cuba was home to the best doctors in the Western hemisphere. Fidel also did bad things. Many students and activists lost their lives in the Guerilla wars. Nothing ever came of the efforts to stop the Guerilla trades. Also, since the first few decades of Fidel Castro's rule, the education and health care has stopped improving. Fidel and Raul run Cuba as a communist government. Fidel is friends with Russian President Dmitri Medveldev. The met in Havanna, Cuba last year to discuss ties between the countries and to discuss international politics. Later that year, Fidel made a trip to Venezuela where he and president Hugo Chavez signed arms deals and cooperation in oil production. Raul is also close with President Chavez and Rauls first trip as President of Cuba was to Venezuela. Hugo Chavez thinks that Castro is one of the heroes of the Cuban revolution. Raul has some plans for the future. He is now letting farmers use up to 100 acres of unused government owned land. Also, he wants to shift to and might allow more private enterprise. Another plan he has is to get more foreign inverstors to help tap Cuba's petroleum and mineral reserves. He announced new reforms that would create more small farms to create more food for the country. Lastly, he wants to loosen the state's grip on the economy.





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