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Raul Castro’s Bitterest Birthday Yet, Turns 95 Today

The man who a decade ago shook hands with Obama in diplomatic ceremonies is now an elderly figure cornered by the justice system in Washington.

By Yoani Sanchez (14ymedio)

HAVANA TIMES — I am walking along the corner of Carlos III and Rancho Boyeros Avenue in Havana. A few yards from the School of Dentistry, a newly erected billboard interrupts the urban landscape. It does not advertise a campaign against Washington, a Party mobilization, or even one of those slogans that have survived the passage of time like old furniture no one dares remove from the house. It simply reads: “Raul is Raul.”

The phrase, intended as a celebration of Raul Castro’s 95th birthday on June 3, has a strange effect. Four stars, a dark green background, and the insignia of an Army General make the sign look far more like an obituary notice than a tribute. The message conveys no vitality; instead, it evokes farewell. As if those who ordered its placement know that the end of an era is approaching.

It is difficult to look at that billboard without thinking about the distance between the man turning 95 today and the figure who for decades occupied the second most powerful position in Cuba. For much of his public life, Raul Castro existed in the shadow of his brother Fidel. From the years of the insurgent struggle to the consolidation of authoritarian power, his role was that of indispensable companion, disciplined executor, and guarantor of the military and repressive machinery.

It was Fidel Castro who pulled him into the revolutionary adventure and who placed him in every key position within the system. But it was also Fidel who........

© Havana Times