Cuba, which remains a hard-line communist state with a poor record on human rights,
commemorated the 50th anniversary of its revolution on January 1, 2009. Cuba?s political
succession from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ral in 2006 was characterized by a
remarkable degree of stability. Fidel stepped down from power temporarily in July 2006 because
of health reasons, and Ral assumed provisional control of the government until February 2008,
when he officially became President.