VOA标准英语2010年-Fidel Castro Rails Against West on Cub

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro is again showing up in public after mostly remaining out of sight since falling ill four years ago and ceding¹ power to his brother, Raul. He appeared on Cuban television Monday, after showing up in photos reportedly taken last Wednesday.

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro appeared relaxed and talkative as he answered questions on the Cuban television current affairs program Mesa Redonda or Round Table. 

 

He warned that the West's pressure on Iran and  North Korea over their nuclear programs could lead to a full-blown war with both nations.

"They keep going and going," said Castro. "That doesn't stop. I have said it will be a sea of fire, a sea of flames. That's not the problem now. The problem now, I think it's that it [a war]  will be let loose there,"

Until the past week, the 83-year-old former leader has avoided the spotlight² since undergoing emergency intestinal³ surgery in 2006. So why is he showing up now?

Peter DeShazo of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington thinks he knows why.

"I think his motivation is first is to show that he's around," said Peter DeShazo. "That he is capable of making decisions or participating in debate on policy." 

DeShazo also believes the appearance was timed to coincide with Cuba's release of the first of 52 political prisoners it has promised to set free in the coming months. Seven of those prisoners and their families were flown to exile in Madrid July 13.

DeShazo says Fidel Castro's TV appearance could be a "trade off," or compromise, with his brother, current President Raul Castro, to appease⁴ different factions⁵ within the Cuban regime.  

"A sense that a step is made to release prisoners, and the government is trying to build some bridges in certain areas,  but at the same time, the revolutionary side is given its moment in which Fidel Castro is able to excoriate⁶ the United States and to continue to lay out the revolutionary credentials⁷, or Cuba's role as a leader of the Third World," he said.

Philip Peters is with the Lexington Institute public policy research group outside of Washington.
He believes Raul Castro recognizes the political costs of keeping dissenters⁸ in jail.

"It seems that he [Raul Castro] is not interested in maintaining a population of political prisoners who are in [jail] for these 20 year sentences," said Philip Peters. "My hunch⁹ is he would like to get rid of this issue."

Peter DeShazo says regardless of whether Fidel or Raul Castro has the greater influence in Cuban affairs,  one thing is certain.

"I think what the Cuban people really want, in the short term, and within the realm of reason, is to live better," he said. "They want to be able to make money, they want to be able to put food on the table, they want to be able to have better lives, they want more freedom to be economic citizens."

DeShazo says those frustration¹⁰ will put greater pressure on the Cuban government in the months ahead.

 

1 ceding   

v.让给，割让，放弃( cede的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was ceding line but more slowly all the time. 他正在放出钓索，然而越来越慢了。 来自英汉文学 - 老人与海
• Settlement would require ceding some Egyptian territory. 解决办法将要求埃及让出一些领土。 来自辞典例句

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 intestinal   

adj.肠的；肠壁；肠道细菌

参考例句：

• A few other conditions are in high intestinal obstruction. 其它少数情况是高位肠梗阻。 来自辞典例句
• This complication has occasionally occurred following the use of intestinal antiseptics. 这种并发症偶而发生在使用肠道抗菌剂上。 来自辞典例句

4 appease   

v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足

参考例句：

• He tried to appease the crying child by giving him candy.他试图给那个啼哭的孩子糖果使他不哭。
• The government tried to appease discontented workers.政府试图安抚不满的工人们。

5 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

6 excoriate   

v.使磨破皮；剥皮

参考例句：

• He proceeded to excoriate me in front of the nurses.他开始在护士面前痛斥我。
• His palms were excoriated by the hard labor of shoveling.他的手掌因干挖土的活儿而磨破了皮。

7 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

8 dissenters   

n.持异议者，持不同意见者( dissenter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He attacked the indulgence shown to religious dissenters. 他抨击对宗教上持不同政见者表现出的宽容。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• (The dissenters would have allowed even more leeway to the Secretary.) （持异议者还会给行政长官留有更多的余地。） 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

9 hunch   

n.预感，直觉

参考例句：

• I have a hunch that he didn't really want to go.我有这么一种感觉，他并不真正想去。
• I had a hunch that Susan and I would work well together.我有预感和苏珊共事会很融洽。

10 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。