Fidel Castro Alive? Former Cuban President Reportedly Appears In Public
HAVANA — HAVANA (AP) – Former Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua said Sunday that he met with aging revolutionary icon Fidel Castro for five hours and showed The Associated Press photos of the encounter, quashing persistent rumors that the former Cuban leader was on his deathbed or had suffered a massive stroke.
Jaua also confirmed that the 86-year-old retired Cuban president personally accompanied him to the Hotel Nacional after their meeting Saturday, in which they talked about politics, history, culture and tourism.
"He had the courtesy of bringing me to the hotel," Jaua said Sunday, adding that Castro looked "very well."
Jaua showed a photograph of himself seated in a minibus along with the former Cuban leader, Castro's wife, Dalia Soto del Valle, a hotel executive and several other people. The photo shows Jaua and Castro smiling broadly, and the former Cuban leader is wearing a checked shirt and cowboy hat.
The public appearance was Castro's first in months. A top Hotel Nacional executive told the AP earlier Sunday how Castro had dropped off the Venezuelan guest, then stayed on to chat with hotel staff.
more
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/21/fidel-castro-alive-dead_n_1997570.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Fidel Castro alive and well : Chavez aide
Marc Frank
Reuters
2:10 p.m. EDT, October 21, 2012
HAVANA (Reuters) - Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is alive and well, according to Elias Jaua, a former Venezuelan vice president who says he met with Castro over the weekend.
Squelching rumors that Castro was at death's door, Jaua, a key aide to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, on Sunday showed reporters pictures of the Saturday meeting and said Castro, 86, was in good health and lucid.
Jaua, who is running for governor in Venezuela's contested state of Miranda, said Castro accompanied him to Havana's famed Hotel National early on Saturday evening after their meeting. He then chatted briefly with the hotel's general manager, Antonio Martinez Rodriguez, before departing.
Castro's long absence from the public eye has fueled blogger and Twitter rumors for weeks that he was dead or near dying.
More:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sns-rt-us-cuba-castrobre89k0do-20121021,0,2805359.story
Too bad Miami right wing thugs will have to put their pots and pans away for now. No fiesta para ustedes.
