So THIS is what the revolution was about. His people drive cars built in the 50′s and held together with used string and paper clips. Guess it’s time for me to become a commie.
Forbes List: Fidel Castro Is One Rich Ruler
Cuban dictator Fidel Castro was furious when Forbes magazine estimated his fortune at $550 million last year, and threatened to sue.
But this year, the magazine has estimated the communist leader’s wealth at a cool $900 million.
It is based on Castro’s control of state-owned companies, the US financial magazine said.
But Castro insists his net worth is nil.
Kings and sheiks of the oil-rich Gulf Arab states still top the Forbes list, to be published in the May 22nd edition.
Saudi King Abdullah is No. 1, with an estimated $21 billion, followed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei at $20 billion and United Arab Emirates’ President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan at $19 billion.
President Castro had said he was considering suing after Forbes released its 2005 list, scoffing when his wealth was estimated to be close to that of the Queen of England.
“Do they think I am (former Zairian President) Mobutu (Sese Seko) or one of the many millionaires, those thieves and plunderers that the empire has suckled and protected?” he said last year, referring to his capitalist arch enemy, Washington.
This year, Castro would be well above the British monarch. Queen Elizabeth came in with about $500 million in estates, gems and a stamp collection built by her grandfather. The list does not include Buckingham Palace or the crown jewels.
If you consider that Castro rides around in a mid 80s MBenz sedan, while Queen E has a fleet of Rolls, Jags, Range Rovers, and Carriages; your left with the impression that Forbes and People magazines should merge, or that El Comandante is vey tight.
” Being A Communist Can Be VERY Profitable.”
Things they didn’t teach us in school.
Next, you will be telling us that Fidel smokes nothing but Havana cigars.
As far as dictators go, Fidel is about as benign as they come. This wealth is all on paper. Do you think Gates could liquify all those investments into hard cash? The Cuban people are suffering because of that outdated, please the Florida electorate, embargo. That and the fact they relied too heavily on USSR handouts for years. Castro bashers need to remember the Cuba before him. Fulgencio Batista was a real saint.
The world awaits his death!
I believe Fidel quit smoking cigars years ago.
Yeah, Batista was more than a saint but I can’t say due to the blog rules. I think Batista (or his family) would be more wealthy today had he stayed in power.
I wonder what Hugo Chavez’s wealth is now compared to a few years ago. I’ll bet you it is a hell of a lot more than what he had.
There is one thing that goes with power, for the most part, and that is money.
Fidel’s been great for the people- the people of the rest of Latin America, who took one look at what he was doing to Cuba, and it was enough to keep them away from Communism for decades.
The Cuban people are suffering because of an outdated, please-the-dictator form of government.
benign dictator?
Yeah, chavez is giving him a little more than what the USSR gave him to keep chanting against the US, something around $100 mill a day. Did you also saw the report that the cuban “economy” rose 12.5% this year? the source? fidel, he said it recently.
And it’s not only chavez the one who’s getting rich, it’s his ministers and some of his “loyal” military. The loyal military were given the “task” of suppliyhing gasoline to the stations ever since the “nonexistant” (this is what the government said then) general strike in 02, and there are not even reciepts of this transactions.
BTW, half the gas stations here are going broke and are strugling with the energy ministry to get liberated from their contracts so they can change the type of bussiness they do in their stores, which they supposedly own, but who knows what would this guys will come up with to screw this people. If you want to think about people suffering and really want to help them, think about venezuelans and help us not become cuba.
This is no generosity, it’s the same fidel tactics on how to get your people to stay loyal (since he’s the one really running the show in venezuela). You give them the false sense that they all a big happy family and when someone turns inconvenient or is not needed anymore… bum! they suddenly discover the guy is corrupt.
And to those that keep believing that the “poor cuban people” are the ones being affected by the embargo, I will reiterate that I have several beachfront properties near Vegas, if you’re interested.
Fidel is threatening to sue Forbes. Wouldn’t that be great!
Even more ridiculous than when Fox threatened to sue Al Franken.
Wasn’t that O’Reilly who sued Franken, not Fox?
Another mistake from another drunk Kennedy: The legacy of Fidel.
Sounds like a Lifetime movie.