Venezuela's ambassador to Cuba has said the country's ailing leader
Fidel Castro has begun eating again as his health improves following
surgery.
Mr Castro, 80, has recently shown "significant improvement" in his
health and his appearance, Ali Rodriguez said.
However, he added that Cuba was ready for Mr Castro's eventual death.
Mr Castro has not been seen in public since undergoing gastric surgery
in July, prompting speculation that he has cancer or is terminally ill.
Mr Castro's younger brother, Raul, has been acting as president since July.
Appetite
Fidel Castro was last shown in a video of a meeting with Venezuela's
President Hugo Chavez, a close ally.
That footage showed Mr Castro drinking orange juice and joking with the
Venezuelan leader, who is a close ally.
Speaking to Venezuelan state TV, Mr Rodriguez said the key to Mr
Castro's apparent recovery of strength was his decision to resume eating.
"The problem is that at first he was not eating food, but now he is
eating food and that has helped him significantly."
State secret
Mr Castro's health is treated as a state secret in Cuba, and has been
the subject of much speculation both at home and overseas.
The most regular pronouncements on his health have come from Mr Chavez.
Cuban authorities have denied the claims of US intelligence officials
that he has terminal cancer but will only say that Mr Castro is
recuperating satisfactorily.
Last month, President Chavez denied a report in a Spanish newspaper that
said Mr Castro's prognosis was very grave after three failed operations.
A Spanish surgeon who travelled to Cuba last month to examine Mr Castro
also said the report was "without foundation".
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/6343915.stm
Published: 2007/02/08 17:35:42 GMT
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