New NDN Poll - Miami Cubans Think Castro is Finished, Expect Democracy

NDN's Hispanic Strategy Center put out a new poll yesterday looking at the attitudes of South Florida Cubans:

The influential South Florida Cuban exile community overwhelmingly believes that the era of Fidel Castro is over, and is newly hopeful for a speedy and peaceful transition to democracy, according to the first major poll taken since Castro’s hand-over of power due to illness. The poll, released today by NDN and Bendixen and Associates, shows that 88% think that Castro will not return to power, while half of those polled expect democracy and liberation of Cuba within the next 5 years. More than three quarters want a peaceful and gradual transition. The poll, reported in this morning’s Miami Herald, also shows declining support for travel and other restrictions against Cuba, and a new openness to consider creative means of engaging the people of Cuba and its government to accelerate democratization.

The piece has been picked up widely - in Businessweek, Newsweek, The Miami Herald, and elsewhere.