By Marc Frank in Havana
Published: January 16 2009 00:07 | Last updated: January 16 2009 02:44
Evidence that Fidel Castro is still participating in Cuban public
affairs has almost disappeared in the past month, raising questions
about whether he has suffered a relapse of the illnesses that brought
him close to death in 2006.
The 82-year-old Cuban leader, who formally handed over the presidency to
his brother last February, has not appeared in public since July 2006,
before he underwent major surgery to stop intestinal haemorrhaging and
related problems.
The government has not commented on Mr Castro's current state of health.
But his newspaper column on national and international affairs, which he
began in March 2007, stopped appearing on December 15, the longest gap
since it first appeared.
The last photo of Mr Castro appeared in November with visiting Chinese
leader Hu Jintao. His only contribution to celebrations to mark the 50th
anniversary of his revolution at the New Year was a 16 word statement
put out in his name.
Mr Castro also failed to meet his ally, President Rafael Correa of
Ecuador, during his visit last week.
Talk that something grave has happened to Mr Castro can be heard on city
buses, stores, in workplace canteens and homes across the island. "The
silence is very strange with so many important events taking place, but
I'm sure he will appear again," state employee Heriberto Dupotey said.
But Bert Hoffman, an expert on Latin American affairs at the German
Institute of Global and Area Studies, said: "All this indeed has only
one explanation, and that is that he has fallen very, very ill."
On Sunday, Mr Hoffman pointed out, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, the
foreign leader most privy to Mr Castro's condition, appeared to eulogise
the man he calls his father and mentor during his weekly television and
radio show.
"That Fidel in his uniform, who walked the streets and towns late at
night, hugging the people, won't return," Chávez said. "That will remain
in memories."
Mr Chávez then talked of his last public meeting with Mr Castro during a
trip to Argentina in July 2006. "He walked to the door of the plane and
we hugged. My God. I didn't think it would be the last time," he said.
Frank Mora, Cuba analyst at the National War College in Washington,
urged caution: "The evidence does suggest something is wrong, but in the
past we have seen similar signs and they did not amount too much."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/53d510d2-e35e-11dd-a5cf-0000779fd2ac.html
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