By Marc Frank | Reuters

An official Cuban newspaper on Sunday published a photograph of 83-year-old former President Fidel Castro apparently in good health and meeting visiting Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa.

The photograph of Castro, covering most of the front page of the Juventud Rebelde newspaper, showed a fit-looking Castro standing and wearing a white, short-sleeved shirt in his meeting with Correa, who began a private visit to Cuba a few days ago.

Castro, the leader of Cuba’s 1959 revolution that brought Communism to the Caribbean island, has remained out of public view for the last three years and in 2008 handed over the presidency to younger brother Raul Castro for health reasons.

Various photographs of Fidel Castro meeting heads of state and other visitors have been released outside Cuba and on the Internet in recent months. But access to the Internet is severely restricted in Cuba.

The Juventud Rebelde photograph of the former leader was the first published inside the country by state media since February 17, when Fidel Castro met Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

A brief official note said Fidel Castro and Correa, who is in Cuba for a rest, relaxation and a medical check-up, talked for a number of hours on Friday about recent developments in their respective countries, Latin America and the world.

While Fidel Castro, who turned 83 on August 13, leaves day-to-day running of the government largely to his brother Raul Castro, who is 78, he remains influential behind the scenes and writes regular commentaries for state-run media.

Castro’s health has visibly improved in recent months. The brothers say they consult on all important matters of state.

According to accounts given by people who have visited Fidel Castro, he is living at home on the outskirts of Havana with his wife in a retirement villa that has a small gymnasium and pool.

As Cubans gathered at kiosks on Sunday morning to pick up the paper, word spread that Fidel Castro’s photo had appeared.

“I’m waiting for the paper to see him because it’s been a long time since a photo was published and I want to see how he is,” Arturo Martinez said, waiting for the paper to arrive a few blocks from Communist Party and government headquarters.

The last video of Fidel Castro appeared in June 2008 in a meeting with Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Although he has handed over the reins to Raul Castro, Fidel Castro has stayed defiant against what he portrays as continuing U.S. efforts to end the socialist system in Cuba he led and defended for nearly half a century.

He has said Cuba will not surrender, playing down steps taken this year by U.S. President Barack Obama to improve ties with Havana. Obama has said he will keep the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo on the island to press the Cuban leadership to improve human rights and grant political freedoms.

(Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Stacey Joyce)

END

From Prensa Latina

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Friday met for several hours with the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, in Havana, to discuss social projects under way in the two countries.

On Sunday that Correa and the Cuban leader exchanged viewpoints about the current revolutionary situation in Cuba and Ecuador in their search for greater equality and social justice.

The two leaders spoke about the achievements of the citizen’s revolution carried out by Correa, particularly in the economy, education and health.

Fidel Castro praised the Manuela Espejo Mission, which provides efficient medical and social care to Ecuadorian disabled people.

In the fraternal meeting, Fidel and Correa reviewed major international problems, talked about cultural and historic issues and ways to boost even further current friendship ties between Cuba and Ecuador.

Correa paid an official visit to Cuba early in 2009. Now he has returned on a private visit to rest and undergo a medical checkup.

Now: that we have been shown a photo of Castro alive and well for a 83 year
of age man???
Will postings of the eventual death of Castro stop, you ain’t got no “couth”
when publishing articles of death of a living person?????

Reuters has a good story featuring comments from people who saw the video of Fidel.

They are saying this boosts the moral of the Cuban people and helps to support Raul.

My comment is that this buys Fidel maybe six more months of reclusiveness before rumors of his death circulate again. Then again, I have been wrong before speculating about what Fidel will do.

This is my signature - get yours in Your Control Panel. Go ahead and add a link to your site. Self promotion is permitted as long as it is beneficial to our community.