Castro jumps on the Obama bandwagon

It appears President-elect Barack Obama’s inspirational powers have even reached Cuba’s reclusive former leader, Fidel Castro. Although he hasn’t made a public appearance in the two years since passing power to his brother, the 82-year-old issued a public statement just before U.S. election polls closed on Tuesday. Predicting the win would go to Obama, Castro gave the Illinois senator a preemptive stamp of approval:

[Obama] was able to study at a higher education center where he graduated with outstanding results. He is surely more clever, better educated and calm than his Republican adversary.”

While Castro mostly praises Obama and his “change” factor — at one point invoking author Toni Morrison’s endorsement — the better part of the lengthy statement is spent lambasting the United States and President George W. Bush. He criticized the “parasitical and plundering empire”, the country’s history of racism, and deemed the Iraq War one of “conquest imposed by the empire seeking for oil.” Castro also repeated his earlier criticisms of John McCain, whom he called “an old, bellicose and uneducated man; he is not very smart and he is in poor health.”

Castro is just one of several leftist leaders in Latin America who had warm words for Obama. Among the others is Fidel’s protégé, Venezuelan

President Hugo Chávez, who sees the president-elect as “a small light on the horizon.” Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega clearly favored the Democrat, saying, “If it’s Barack Obama — and a miracle is produced — or McCain, our position is that we’re ready to work in a framework of respect with the United States.”

It would certainly be nice for a U.S. president not to be hated in Latin America and these are vibes worth enjoying since, quite rightly, hard work — of which there will be much in any future dealings — and honeymoons don’t often mesh well together.

(Hat tip: Albert Eisele)

Photo: Jorge Rey/Getty Images