Cablegate: Media Reaction: Western Hemisphere: Cuba; Sao Paulo

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DE RUEHSO #0091 0571130
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261130Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7941
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9092
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8607
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3038

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000091

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

DEPT PASS USTR

USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: CUBA; SAO PAULO

"Nothing New In Havana"

Center-right national circulation daily O Estado de S. Paulo (2/26)
editorialized: "The consolidation of the Cuban gerontocracy
evidences that the only thing that the Castro brothers have really
to offer is more of the same thing. The only suffering that ended
for Cubans is that of having to hear Fidel Castro's four-hour
speeches.... As long as Fidel is alive and can exert tutelage over
the regime, Cuba will perpetuate his catastrophic legacy.... Decades
of misery, fear and hopelessness have transformed one of the world's
most exuberant populations into a worn out society. Neither in the
Soviet Russia nor in Mao's China had apathy reached comparable
levels. The Cubans are living in a political and economic
hibernation from which they will not get out of soon. The people's
indifference in view of Sunday's tragicomedy in Havana summarizes
the five decades of insanity of the 'irreplaceable' Fidel Castro."
White

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