European Press Review: Cuba's Transition

"With the (temporary?) transfer of power to his brother Raul, Fidel Castro -- the man of the triumphant guerrillas, the tropical utopia and the revolutionary theater -- has, in the hour of his personal and political decline, turned into a gubernatorial protagonist who uses the family hierarchy to hand over the command," Italy's Corriere della Sera wrote Wednesday. "What really counts at this moment is not talking about the despotic Castro as a dictator, but the reasons why the transfer of power in this case did not follow the steps of other dictators. The transfer to the brother is the highpoint of the identification of a revolution with the name of its leader."

Russia's Kommersant, however, took a different view, saying there was no one around to take over for the Cuban leader. "Castro understood very well that he does not have a successor," the daily wrote. "He himself did not allow anyone the chance to take over, especially his younger brother Raul, who until now has always stood in his brother's shadow." The Moscow paper said there are two reasons why the transfer of power came. "Either Castro's health is really very bad or he just does not care anymore," it wrote. "One way or the other, Fidel Castro's Cuba will only exist as long as he is alive."

Changes are on the way for Cuba regardless of the state of Castro's health, according to Spain's El Pais. "Even if Castro recovers from his illness, Cuba's transition to a post-Castro time has already begun," it wrote. "It is clear that Castroism will not be able to survive without Castro. It's up to all sides that the transition process runs peacefully and all Cubans have a say in the decision." The Madrid-based newspaper even managed to find common ground between Havana's communists and the White House, saying, "chaos on the island and a possible new wave of migration have to be avoided."

But Paris' Le Figaro commented that in light of the extremely tense political and social situation, the chance of chaos taking over the island could not be written off in the country it called the "last political dinosaur of the 20th century." "A regime change for Cuba is finally possible," the paper remarked. "The 'gentle revolution' experienced 15 years ago in Eastern Europe is not what is called for." The paper went on to call Raul Castro the "island's new strong man" and a member of the "military nomenclature."

In Germany, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung pointed out that Castro's Cuba is taking a path similar to that of other communist nations. "What is playing out in the innermost circle of power in Cuba these days is as withdrawn from the world public's perception as it is from Cubans themselves," the paper wrote. "That makes the Caribbean island's dictatorship equal with long fallen Soviet Union as well as Kim's spectral dominance in North Korea." The daily also questioned how long it could take until Cubans see any real changes. "It is significant that the great 'comandante en jefe' himself looked ahead in case he is unable to stay in office," the FAZ wrote. "It seems as if his brother Raul is meant to secure the transition to a collective of ideologically stable communists, whose goal will be nothing other than holding on to power for as long as possible."