"To think he's a "simple" old man who vouches for the ordinary "Cuban worker" is simply absurd. "
You're putting words in my mouth. I said he has a fairly simple existance. It's "spartan" if you will. I didn't comment on his politics or say I approved of or admired any of it. I said the part about him having squirreled away money is just projection ...and outright propaganda now that I think of it. There's absolutely no evidence to suggest that that's his mind at all.
The same was said of Yasser Arafat... again without a shred of evidence. It's just part of the playbook.
"And the man clearly has the power to transfer money "under the table". Many dictators like him have done it before. "
Again... projection. You don't just need opportunity. You also have to have motive, and my goodness ...some sort of evidence.