Cuba's Castro thought '06 illness was the end

Cuba's Castro thought '06 illness was the end
By WILL WEISSERT | Associated Press
10:05 AM EST, January 24, 2008

HAVANA - Fidel Castro revealed Thursday that he thought he was dying
when he fell ill in July 2006, and hastily made plans to give up power
as doctors fought to save his life.

``When I fell gravely ill the night of the 26th and dawn of the 27th of
July, I thought that would be the end,'' the ailing 81-year-old wrote in
an essay published on the front page of state newspapers.

``And while the doctors fought for my life, the head aide of the Council
of State read at my urging the text and I dictated the necessary
arrangements,'' he wrote.

Castro has not been seen in public since July 31, 2006, when his
secretary Carlos Valenciaga read a statement on government television
that emergency intestinal surgery was forcing the island's unchallenged
leader since 1959 to cede power to a provisional government headed by
his younger brother Raul.

Though he stepped aside as president, Castro has retained his role as
head of the island's supreme governing body, the Council of State.

A slate of newly elected Cuban lawmakers meets Feb. 24 and will choose a
new Council of State from among its ranks, which include both Castro
brothers. Fidel Castro wrote in December that he had no intention of
clinging to power or standing in the way of a new generation of leaders,
but has not said whether he wants to remain head of the council or
permanently retire.

He is recovering in an undisclosed location and his condition and exact
ailment are carefully guarded secrets.

Castro has looked gaunt and frail, but also upbeat and lucid in
occasional recent official videos and photographs. Life on the island
has remained little changed since he stepped down.

Thursday's lengthy essay, dated Jan. 22, mentioned a two and a half hour
meeting last week with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Absent was a recreation of Castro's scrawled signature, which has been
printed at the end of other recent writings. Castro wrote that Silva,
who describes Castro as his friend, decided to visit Cuba on the spur of
the moment, even though ``my health didn't guarantee him a meeting with
me.''

When Silva ``commented that he was very impressed with my health, I
responded that I was dedicating myself to thinking and writing,'' Castro
wrote. ``Never in my life have I thought so much.''

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-124castro,0,4527835.story