Fidel Castro has made official what seemed inevitable since he disappeared from the spotlight 18 months ago following surgery. His resignation as president of Cuba is the end of an era, but it should also mark the beginning of a new relationship between Cuba and the U.S.
This transition of power in Cuba comes with more of a whimper and not the bang with which Mr. Castro led the revolution nearly half a century ago that transformed his country from an ally to an enemy of the U.S. But lowered voices might be necessary to renew a conversation between the island nation and America.
U.S.-Cuban relations have long been at least as much about domestic politics as foreign relations. But things change, and many Cuban-Americans favor a more open policy toward Havana. President Bush, who said he hopes for a new transition to democracy in Cuba, could help things along by beginning the process of loosening the five-decade trade embargo that has undermined U.S. authority in the region while helping to prolong Mr. Castro's hold on power.
The passing of the presidential torch in Cuba should be an opportunity for at least a gradual change of course in the U.S. Raul Castro, who has assumed the reigns of power during his brother's long illness, has suggested an openness to reforms that could make life easier for Cubans. At the same time, a new occupant in the White House could move closer to rapprochement or even dialogue with a longtime adversary.