Re: U.S. Official Urges Egypt on Democracy
 

ther wil be flyin death bombs from the sides of all i htinkj when castro diies but i jus dont no when we can onl guess.

Re: U.S. Official Urges Egypt on Democracy
 

leik yah their wall b deth boms!

He is virtually enslaving large amounts of people. Cuba denies the most basic freedoms, such as freedom of speach and press. They imprison anyone they want without a fair trial, and their prisoners do not even have the right to know what they are being arrested for. Castro is not loved. People do not love dictators.

Besides, if you want to know just how unpopular Castro is, go to Miami. If you ask someone in Cuba what they think of Castro, you will get the same statement as if you asked a Russian what they think of Stalin under his rule: they love him.

Re: U.S. Official Urges Egypt on Democracy
 

I'm very aware of this and I'm not denying those points.
How about Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini? Both were very popular and majority of the people liked/loved them before the things started to get worse.
Those who have escaped to Miami have seen beyond the curtain of propaganda, personal cult and creamy layer, but majority of the Cubans like/love Castro as they don't know so well about the bad sides of Castro & his administration, not just because they fear to say otherwise. They like him because they don't know it better.

Re: U.S. Official Urges Egypt on Democracy
 

Actually, Benito was quite unpopular. He forced his way into power using those "brown shirt" goons who would rig elections and scare people into supporting, as I like to call him, The Douche.

I do not doubt that the Cuban people at one point loved Castro. But unlike Hitler and Moussilini, Castro is not charasmatic, and 'his' people have been given time to see what life under his rule is really like.

If Castro is loved, then explain why people try to escape in the first place. Some must realize that life under Castro is terrible. But saying that they all love him because he slaps his name all over just makes no sense. As we see now that Hussein is out of power, no matter how much he wanted us to believe his people loved him, it simply was not true. Putting one's face on everything does not make him popular.

Re: U.S. Official Urges Egypt on Democracy
 

Mussolini may have been unpopular before he rose to power in 1922 and stabilized it, but after this it wasn't the case. It's true that Mussolini used his "Blackshirts" (Hitler had "Brownshirts") against socialists & communists and scared people to support him, but these means actually raised his popularity. Socialism and bolshevism were seen as big threat for Italy (socialists had already tried to seize power in Italy) & Europe so his actions were little opposed and government interfered only very little, if at all. Treaty of Versailles was seen inadequate for Italy and country's valuation in the eyes of the world had weakened due to heavy Italian casualties and poor success in WW I. People started to see Mussolini as saviour of Italy who would save it from bolshevism and raise Italy back into greatness and glory.

Due to favourable economic trends, Mussolini was able to enhance Italy's economy and decrease unemployment. Vast reform projects were launched, many roads & railroads were built and construction works started. Mafia was kept in order, trains started to come in time and swamps were drain in order to reduce malaria mosquitos. In 1929 the long lasted schism between the Vatican and Italy ended with treaty in which both parties recognized other's independence. Furthermore, Mussolini started to enjoy high esteem in the eyes of other Great Powers.

Mussolini had an education of journalist so he knew very well how to use media to control the people. Vast propaganda produced by press, news broadcasts shown in movie theaters and radio created glorious picture about Mussolini (and his regime) who made work all the time without much sleep, was never wrong and always thought the best of Italian people. Mussolini was a great speaker & charismatic person who knew how to appeal on people's emotions. Mass events with religious features, marches & parades even the position of Fascists in Italy even stronger & more popular. All in all, Mussolini was very popular before misfortunes & poor success of Italian Armed Forces in WW II.

Propably so, but at least Castro is quite impressive public speaker who uses much "body-language", loud voice & colourful words, appealing on people's emotions and basic instincts.

"Those who have escaped to Miami have seen beyond the curtain of propaganda, personal cult and creamy layer". Some indeed realize that life under Castro is terrible so they escape.

"but majority of the Cubans like/love Castro as they don't know so well about the bad sides of Castro & his administration, not just because they fear to say otherwise. They like him because they don't know it better."

Same with North Korea and Kim Yong-Il. The United States is shown as grave danger for the people of both North Korea & Cuba and the leaders in both countries justify their means by this, especially Cuba due to US trade embargo, close location of the USA and past events ("Bay of the Pigs" for example). Unlike in Iraq during Saddam, health & education services are quite working in Cuba, tourism is flourishing, there are many foreign exchange students in country's universities and Castro doesn't favour so openly any ethnic group.

Fair enough, I think neither of us can say exactly if Castro's "popularity"/popularity is more about fear & terror than propaganda, person cult and satisfying of people's basic needs. Only time will tell how the things really are/were when it comes to Castro's popularity.