# Castro passes on May Day-"El Jefe"es Muerto? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2007, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444 "2007-05-02T12:05:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/1 "2007-05-02T12:05:24Z")
The old bastard didn’t show for may day-I’m sure the audience didn’t miss one of his 6-hour speech/harangues. Brother raul doesn’t look well-does this portend something? One can only hope that the end is near! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/2 "2007-05-02T13:14:16Z")
Also, any news on Generalissimo Franco? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/3 "2007-05-02T13:22:55Z")
El Jefe \*\*podria estar \*\* muerto. We don’t know yet. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/4 "2007-05-02T13:29:04Z")
Nothing about it on the news, and anyway even if he isn’t dead he probably isn’t in any shape for 6-hr speeches either. ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/5 "2007-05-02T16:14:21Z")
Not dead, according to friends in Havana just not presentable enough to show in public. There’s a story in Granma, Cuba’s newspaper, to make anyone puke. The reporter talks about the questions in the crowd about wether Fidel will show, he ends it with a strong voice from the crowd replying: “Caballeros, no importa si está o no está. A él hay que cuidarlo para que nos dure más y que actúe como el sabio que es, con tantas ideas como esas que publica hoy en Granma. Lo importante es que el Caguairán esté dentro de cada uno de nosotros…” Translated: “People, it doesn’t matter if he shows or not. We have to take care of him, so he can last longer, and he can act with his wisdom, with all his ideas published in the newspaper. The important thing is that the Caguarian (a hard wood tree) is inside every one of us.” So now in Cuba even Fidel is rationed. And the link is [here.](http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/secciones/1mayo07/art21.html) ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/6 "2007-05-02T16:59:02Z")
I’m sure Cuban-Americans are heartened by Fidel’s non-appearance 😉 When the old goat finally croaks, Miami is going to see a street party of historic proportions. ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/7 "2007-05-02T17:02:03Z")
A) How is this in GQ? B) Que Viva La Revolucion, Cabrones! ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/8 "2007-05-02T17:27:52Z")
[QUOTE=ChicanoRojo] B) Que Viva La Revolucion, Cabrones! [/QUOTE] Fidel killed the revolución a long time ago. I like the graffiti that appeared in Havana in the mid 90’s. All over signs of “¡Socialism or Death!” the words “what’s the difference?” had been painted. It lasted a few days too, apparently they could not get the paint to paint over the graffiti, that’s socialism for you. ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/9 "2007-05-02T17:37:29Z")
[QUOTE=lalenin] Fidel killed the revolución a long time ago. I like the graffiti that appeared in Havana in the mid 90’s. All over signs of “¡Socialism or Death!” the words “what’s the difference?” had been painted. It lasted a few days too, apparently they could not get the paint to paint over the graffiti, that’s socialism for you. [/QUOTE] Grafiti or no grafiti, Viva La Revolucion! ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/10 "2007-05-02T17:42:57Z")
[QUOTE=ChicanoRojo] A) How is this in GQ? B) Que Viva La Revolucion, Cabrones! [/QUOTE] (C) ¡Hola Opal! Tris ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/11 "2007-05-02T17:50:48Z")
[QUOTE=ChicanoRojo] Grafiti or no grafiti, Viva La Revolucion! [/QUOTE] No problem, as long as you’re the that vive en la revolución. I had enough of that. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/12 "2007-05-02T18:08:28Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] El Jefe \*\*podria estar \*\* muerto. [/QUOTE] For English speakers learning Spanish, the idea that “being dead” is a temporary or changeable condition and so requires _estar_ is not so intuitive. But maybe El Jefe is dead-not-dead like Schrodinger’s cat. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/13 "2007-05-02T18:15:39Z")
Let’s wait until after Cinco de Mayo on Saturday. If there is no picture of him between two cuties in bikinis while holding a Mojito, _then_ I’ll start writing the obit. [QUOTE=Diceman] When the old goat finally croaks, Miami is going to see a street party of **historic** proportions. [/QUOTE] Did you mean Hispanic proportions? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/14 "2007-05-02T18:20:42Z")
[QUOTE=ChicanoRojo] Grafiti or no grafiti, Viva La Revolucion! [/QUOTE] :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/15 "2007-05-02T18:24:36Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] For English speakers learning Spanish, the idea that “being dead” is a temporary or changeable condition and so requires _estar_ is not so intuitive. But maybe El Jefe is dead-not-dead like Schrodinger’s cat. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Well, as long as the public doesn’t observe him… Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/16 "2007-05-02T18:49:14Z")
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] Well, as long as the public doesn’t observe him… [/QUOTE] Exactly. Since no one observed him on May Day, he remains in a state of superposition. But once he appears in public, his wave function will collapse. It’s problably why he decided not to appear. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/17 "2007-05-02T18:53:20Z")
[QUOTE=Plynck] Let’s wait until after Cinco de Mayo on Saturday. If there is no picture of him between two cuties in bikinis while holding a Mojito, _then_ I’ll start writing the obit.Did you mean Hispanic proportions? [/QUOTE] Cinco de Mayo is a minor Mexican holiday commemorating the defeat of the French at Puebla in 1862. It’s celebrated by Mexican Americans as well, the French were planning on backing the Confederacy from Mexico, this minor defeat supposedly upset plans to do so before the French could accomplish the overthrow of the Mexican government and by then the Confederates had lost the Civil War. Not sure Castro would celebrate Cinco de Mayo. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/18 "2007-05-02T19:03:08Z")
Well, everybody hates the French. So a holiday celebrating a defeat of the French is naturally a world-wide holiday. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/19 "2007-05-02T19:10:33Z")
I heard that Castro’s doctors whelled him out onto the balcony where he saw his shadow and retreated back into his room, thereby guaranteeing another 3 months of communist rule. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444/20 "2007-05-02T19:14:06Z")
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat] Cinco de Mayo is a minor Mexican holiday commemorating the defeat of the French at Puebla in 1862. [/QUOTE] Panama also commemorates the Cinco de Mayo, but it has nothing to do with the Mexican battle. Instead, it honors the fire department, which lost 6 dead and many injured in a great fire in 1914 that started with an explosion in an illegal fireworks factory. The Cinco de Mayo Plaza is a major landmark in the city. But I don’t think Castro celebrates that one either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-passes-on-may-day-el-jefe-es-muerto/402444.md?page=2)