Miami planning party after Castro's death
City commission looks at Orange Bowl stadium as venue

MIAMI - With Fidel Castro seriously ill, the city of Miami is making plans to throw a party at a local football stadium when the Cuban president dies, complete with themed T-shirts.

The city commission earlier this month appointed a committee — whose official job is to "Discuss an event at the Orange Bowl in case expected events occur in Cuba" — to plan the party. Such a gathering has long been part of the city's Castro death plan, but the specifics have become more urgent since Castro became ill last summer and turned over power to his brother, Raul.

The Orange Bowl was the site of a speech by President Kennedy in 1961 promising a free Cuba, and in the 1980s it served as a camp for refugees from the Mariel boatlift from Cuba.

"(Castro) represents everything bad that has happened to the people of Cuba for 48 years," City Commissioner Tomas Regalado, a Cuban American who came up with the idea, told The Miami Herald newspaper. "There is something to celebrate, regardless of what happens next ... We get rid of the guy."

"Basically, the only thing we're trying to do is have a venue, a giant venue ready for people, if they wish, to speak to the media, to show their emotions. It's not that we're doing an official death party," Regalado said Monday.

The plans have been criticized on local Spanish-language radio, as many people would prefer to celebrate on the streets of the Little Havana neighborhood.

"This is not a mandatory site," Regalado said of the Orange Bowl. "Just a place for people to gather."

Ramon Saul Sanchez, leader of the Miami-based Democracy Movement organization, worries about how the party would be perceived by those outside the Cuban exile community. Even when Castro dies, his communist government will still be in place, he said.

"Although everybody will be very happy that the dictator cannot continue to oppress us himself, I think everybody is still very sad because there are still prisons full of prisoners, many people executed, and families divided," Sanchez said.

At the committee's first meeting last week, former state Representative Luis Morse stressed the need for an uplifting theme for the party — one not preoccupied with Castro's passing.

The committee discussed including such a theme on T-shirts for the event.

Classy.

Man if the news of Castro's death comes out the same day as the superbowl, conoalias will be no more. That's going to be nuts.

That's terrible. I don't know what they want people to think it is if not a death party. There will be tons of Cubans rejoicing though.

i have a lot of cuban friends and family, i have yet to meet one who will not celebrate his death.

I read this and felt it was "wrong," but I suppose one has to understand the oppression that so many people lived with under his regime.

Now Cubans can be oppressed by the Gap and McDonalds

This kinda reminds me of the time around Franco's death in Spain, he was just as bad, though when I was there in 2001, some people were downright indifferent, which to me seems weird even given that he died in the 70's, I guess it depends on who your talking to.

I think castro's brother will continue to fill in, unless there is a major change from a rebellion or they just stop giving a shit.

Way to exhibit civilized values. Yay death.

this makes it sound like it is really all about crowd control. however...



the addition of themed tshirts (what better way to celebrate the death of a tyrant than to add some capitalism in there?) puts it over the top as a really ugly disply of america's worst contradictions. if bush (either one of them) had any brains they would put a stop to this and just make sure the nat'l guard is on hand for the street celebrations.

well yeah it's wrong.. My wife and father in law got reunited with their daughter/half sister + grandchildren/nephews last week. It had been 25 years since they've last seen each other. The paperwork to get her over to Miami had been submitted in the late 80's or so. So i can definitely understand where they're joy of his death would be coming from.

90% of these people never lived under his regime. They're all born in Miami.

that's true, it's mostly the grand parents and parents whom instigate the hatred for Castro.

I'll have to ask my cuban friend how he feels about this. I'm sure he'll have a strong reaction one way or another.

Did you ask your black friend how he felt about MLK day?

I don't see what you're getting at.

PD pretty much got the spirit. I was just teasing about your phrasing.

...And people wonder why I hate living in South Florida...

This is gonna be fun....

And to whoever it was who wanted to ask their Cuban friend...you really don't need to. They hate Castro. For sure. No doubt about it. Any Cuban living in America hates him. And don't dare to say a word that isn't equally harsh as theirs, or your in trouble.

That guy is public enemy number one here.