Castro jokes he won't be in office at age 100

[Janice]

BAYAMO, Cuba (Reuters) -- Fidel Castro, Cuba's leader since 1959, joked on Wednesday that he had no plans to be in power when he is 100 years old.

Castro, who will be 80 on August 13, made fun of his long-time ideological nemesis the United States in a speech in which he said more Cubans are reaching 100 thanks to the social services of his Communist government.

"But, our little neighbors to the north should not fear, I am not planning to be in office at that age," the left-wing firebrand said.

Castro spoke to 100,000 people at a rally in the eastern city of Bayamo, Cuba, on the anniversary of the assault he led on a military garrison in 1953 that sparked his revolution.

The Cuban leader has outlasted nine U.S. presidents and survived CIA assassination plots, invasion attempts and the collapse of his Soviet bloc benefactors.

Castro's advancing age -- his pace has slowed since a bad fall two years ago-- has led his enemies to sharpen their knives in preparation for the day he departs the scene.

The Bush administration announced earlier this month it was tightening sanctions on Cuba and adding $80 million to efforts to build opposition to Castro's one-party state on the island.

Washington hopes to prevent a succession headed by younger brother Raul Castro, Cuba's defense minister.

Castro said the United States should stop meddling and look after its own social problems, boasting that Cuba's infant mortality of 6.5 per thousand was lower than the U.S. rate.

[kevin]

Castro let most of those who could not endure his regime flee it years ago, and has mostly crushed and jailed oppositions. There is only one institution in the Cuban government, and that is Castro's. I believe there are some respectable sources that hint at majority acceptance of their version of socialism, and somehow I don't think an invasion coming from Miami or 80 million dollars will do anything to develop democratic institutions in Cuba.

However I have no doubts that when Castro dies the United States will either secretly or in the open support an invasion of Cuba, and I am skeptical as to the results.

[nholley]

Well the Cubans seemed happy enough when I was there. The tourism money seems to keep them all content.

[Janice]

Well, they are not content. They have to keep their mouths shut. If you ever went to one of their homes, you would see how horrible they live.

[x-y-no]

The day Castro dies will indeed be "interesting times" here in South Florida. I really can't begin to predict what will happen.

[nholley]

Well, they are not content. They have to keep their mouths shut. If you ever went to one of their homes, you would see how horrible they live.

Are you speaking from personal experience?

[Janice]

I am speaking of all the Cubans who live here in Puerto Rico and our friends who are married to Cubans. They all say the same thing as the Floridians. Why do you think they are risking their lives on boats. They wouldn't be risking their lives if life was good there.