Raul Castro says brother is improving

Posted on Sun, Sep. 24, 2006
CUBA
Raúl Castro says brother is improving

Raúl Castro, who participated Friday in a discussion of Cuba's campaign
against dengue fever, said his brother's health has improved.
BY VANESSA ARRINGTON
Associated Press

HAVANA - Cuba's acting president Raúl Castro said his older brother
Fidel is walking more frequently and his health is steadily improving
after intestinal surgery, state-run media reported Saturday.

He also said the elder Castro is paying close attention to Cuba's
current battle against dengue fever, the Communist Party daily newspaper
Granma reported in a front-page article about the younger Castro's
participation in a meeting of provincial political leaders Friday.

''At the mention [of Fidel], he also took the opportunity to say that he
is getting better and walking more and more every day,'' the newspaper said.

Fidel Castro announced July 31 he was handing power to his brother as he
recovered from surgery. He has not appeared publicly since July 26.
Photographs and videos in recent weeks have shown him wearing pajamas in
meetings with leaders including Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque predicted the elder Castro
would be fully back at the helm in early December in an interview with
The Associated Press in New York.

Raúl Castro's participation Friday in the discussion of Cuba's current
campaign against dengue fever underlined the increasing gravity of the
situation. While the government has yet to provide details on the number
of victims, community groups are telling Cubans there is an epidemic and
the number of people infected is growing.

Authorities have sent small military planes to fumigate streets, trees
and rooftops in the capital while workers go door-to-door to spray
against mosquitoes potentially carrying the disease.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/special_packages/fidel_castro/15596616.htm