CUBA: Cubans react to state television showing first video images of ailing leader Fidel Castro.

An alert, but bedridden Fidel Castro laughed, joked and snacked with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the first video images of the ailing Cuban leader since he temporarily gave up power following surgery two weeks ago. He appeared frail, but in good spirits during the brief video, aired on Monday (August 14) on Cuban state television in what appeared to be an attempt to allay uncertainty about his recovery. "Today, I have been made very happy having been able to see him (Fidel Castro), to see that he is recuperating well because all of Cuba, and not only Cuba, but the entire world was very worried about his health," Havana resident Carmen Reyes said. The only disclosure about Castro's health has been that he underwent surgery for intestinal bleeding and provisionally put brother Raul in charge on July 31. Since then, Cuban officials have insisted he was on the mend, but have given no clear idea if or when he can return to power. The video was made on Sunday when Chavez, Castro's leftist ally and fellow fierce U.S. critic, flew from Caracas to visit Fidel on his 80th birthday. "What kind of human being is this? What's he made of?" asked Chavez at one point as he sat in a chair next to Castro's bed and marvelled at his condition. Chavez brought a dagger that belonged to South American independence hero and Venezuelan patriot Simon Bolivar as a birthday gift for Fidel, who in turn gave Chavez a drawing of himself by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Chavez said he was doing his own portrait of Fidel, but joked that he had a difficult nose to draw and needed plastic surgery. "What, more surgery?" quipped Castro, as brother Raul held the drawing up for Chavez to see. Chavez did most of the talking during the six-minute long video and was later said to have described the meeting as "the best of all the visits I've ever made." The two leaders ate what appeared to be yogurt -- not the birthday cake Chavez had promised to bring -- looked at photos from a Castro trip to Venezuela and wrote in notebooks. Both wore bright red shirts during what Communist Party newspaper Granma called "An Unforgettable Afternoon Among Brothers." Earlier on Monday, Granma published several photos from the encounter. On Sunday, newspaper Juventud Rebelde published the first photographs of Castro since his surgery. Before that, the man who led Cuba for 47 years had not been seen or heard since the July 31 announcements. In a message to Cubans on Sunday, Castro said his recovery could take time and called for optimism, but also warned they should "always be prepared to receive bad news." News that Castro had appeared in photos came as a relief to many Cubans worried his death could create upheaval in one of the world's last communist outposts. But some thought his condition was worse than the nation was being told.

ITN Source | August 15, 2006

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