With Fidel Castro deciding to step down as president of Cuba, the candidates are weighing in. Here’s Hillary Clinton at an event in Parma, OH:

“Fidel Castro has decided to step down as the leader of Cuba. And I think this provides a great opportunity for the people of Cuba.  I’m hoping that the new leadership will take steps to move Cuba toward democracy, release political prisoners, lift a lot of the oppressive burdens that have prevented the Cuban people from really having the kind of future they deserve to have.

Certainly, the people of the United States would meet a new government to talk about what needs to happen if that new government takes some action that demonstrates they’re willing to change. So we’re hoping we’ll see some evidence of that. But it is a very stark reminder that even if you’ve been in power for 50 years, you cannot hold on to power forever. And people of Cuba deserve to have leadership that respects their human rights, and gives them the opportunity to fulfill their own destiny

We need a president who will work with countries around the world, in Europe and the western hemisphere to push Cuba now to join the community of nations, and to become a democracy. And I will certainly do that as president.”

Read her paper statement after the jump.

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Brookfield, WI — Sen. John McCain said Fidel Castro’s apparent departure a “great opportunity” for Cuba to begin to make the transition to democracy and hold free elections.

Though McCain added at a Tuesday press conference Tuesday, that the U.S. should continue to withhold assistance until then, for fear of propping up a caretaker regime run by Castro’s brother Raul or other communist allies.

“This is a great opportunity for Cuba to make a transition to a democracy, to empty their political prisons, to invite human rights organizations into their country and begin the transition to a free and open society and allow (the) people of Cuba the same opportunity that people all over the world deserve,” McCain said. “I think we should make it very clear that once free elections are held that the political prisoners are released and human rights organizations are functioning in Cuba that we would be willing to provide whatever aid and assistance that’s necessary. I fear that anything short of that–that any assistance that came in earlier than that might serve to prop up a new regime or Raul or whoever it is that wants to take Castro’s place.”

Miami, FL-

After speaking to the Latin Builders Association, Mike Huckabee was asked about Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and his heir apparent, brother Raul Castro. Specifically, a reporter asked, what would be Huckabee’s approach to Raul, if he became president?  Huckabee responded that Raul Castro would not be much different than Fidel, and further, Raul, Huckabee said, should be indicted for murder for his involvement in the Cuban Air Force downing of 2 aircrafts operated by a Cuban-American,  pro-Democracy  organization in 1996, over international waters.  

Brothers to the Rescue, or “Hermanos al Rescate” the Miami-based activist organization that manned the civilian aircraft was formed by Cuban exiles. The group describes itself as a humanitarian foundation aiming to assist and rescue raft refugees who leave Cuba looking for a better life in the United States.

“The sad thing is that Raul is not going to be much better than his brother Fidel. And especially, if you look at Raul’s personal involvement in the shooting down of the aircraft operated by ‘Brothers to the Rescue’, ” Huckabee said.” That was sheer murder, I personally would like to see Raul Castro indicted for that murder.I think that to shoot down  a civilian aircraft,  that was unarmed, over international waters is an act of not just aggression, its an act of murder. And we shouldn’t be all that happy if Raul becomes the new dictator.” 

Fidel Castro is a hated figure among the majority of the Cuban-American community here in Southern Florida, many of whom are a generation or two removed from the group of Cubans exiled from their country by Castro when he came to power after his Communist revolution in 1959.

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Earlier in the day, Huckabee went to the little Havana landmark restaurant,Versailles, where he tried their famous “Cafe Cubano”, a strong, and delectable shot of Cuban Coffee. Huckabee was accompanied by rising Florida Republican star and FL Speaker of the House, Marco Rubio, who endorsed his candidacy recently. Rubio also warned Huckabee that one shot was enough, of the potent turbo-like coffee(this reporter unwittingly drank three).

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BTW, they also have the best Cuban sandwich ever.