Weekend at Fidel’s, Over

They can quit propping up the wax figure, now; Fidel Castro is no longer the President of Cuba, after nearly 50 years. He writes:

I will neither aspire to nor will I accept I repeat I neither will aspire to nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander-in-chief…

…and was quoted in the Communist Party daily Granma:

My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath…[However] it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer.

Uh huh.

The likely successor is his brother, Raul, when the Cuban Parliament meets on Sunday.

CBS reports this isn’t going to change Cuban America relations:

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has indicated the U.S. embargo on Cuba will remain in place despite Fidel Castro’s resignation.

Asked by reporters at the State Department if Washington planned to change its Cuba policy now that Castro has stepped down, Negroponte replied: “I can’t imagine that happening anytime soon.” He declined further comment.

Michelle Malkin has more, here.