Monday, December 25, 2006
MADRID, Spain — A leading Spanish surgeon traveled to Havana last week
to study whether Fidel Castro should undergo more surgery, a Madrid
health official confirmed Monday, adding that Spain had been sending
medicine for the ailing Cuban leader since June.
Castro, 80, has not appeared in public since undergoing emergency
intestinal surgery in July, but has since released little information on
his condition. Castro placed his younger brother, Raul, in charge of the
government.
Dr. Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, chief surgeon at Madrid's Gregorio Maranon
hospital, traveled to Cuba's capital Thursday, said Manuel Lamela, a
Madrid region health official.
He added that Madrid's health department has been sending medicines to
Cuba since June, but he declined to say which type or report anything
about Castro's condition.
"If I did, I would be revealing the patient's pathology and we would be
violating medical confidentiality and the Cuban government's media
policy," he said.
Lamela said Spain would continue to give support and assistance to the
Cuban government.
Castro's medical condition is a state secret. Cuban authorities deny he
suffers from terminal cancer as U.S. intelligence officials have said,
but have nonetheless stopped insisting Castro will return to power.
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