5. Raul Castro, Cuba – Same Old, Same Old
Unlike Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s rise to power, the story of how Fidel Castro ceded power to his younger brother, Raul, is quite boring. Fidel got too old and Raul decided to step up and keep it in the family.
Fidel’s reign was known for its repression of Cuba’s people, a lockdown on media freedom and freedom of speech, and a penchant for locking up political enemies until they basically rot. When Fidel left and Raul stepped up, there was hope for change. Unfortunately, Raul thought Fidel’s brutal and repressive Cuban regime was fine as it is and kept it. Just to top things off, Raul isn’t anywhere near as charming as his older brother so Cuba somehow actually came out worse.
There might be light at the end of the very long tunnel yet as Raul has stated that he won’t seek re-election in 2018.
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