By Will Weissert
The Associated Press
Posted May 24 2007
HAVANA · A statement signed by Fidel Castro sought to reassure Cubans on
Wednesday that the 80-year-old leader was recovering well from difficult
surgery, saying his weight was stable and he was eating solid foods
after months of intravenous feeding.
In the most detailed assessment of Castro's health since shortly after
he fell ill almost 10 months ago, the statement said: "It wasn't just
one operation, but various. Initially it wasn't successful and that had
a bearing on my prolonged recuperation."
The message, sent by e-mail to foreign journalists, did not say when
Castro might appear in public again or retake Cuba's presidency. It also
said Castro was now taking all medicines orally.
Castro shocked Cuba in July when he announced that he had undergone
intestinal surgery and was ceding power to his 75-year-old brother Raul,
the defense minister.
"I tell everyone simply that I am getting better and maintain a stable
weight of about 80 kilograms [176 pounds]," Wednesday's statement said,
adding that his greatest risks are age and the effects of not taking
proper care of his health over the years.
"No danger is greater than those related to age and health, which I
abused in risky times," the statement said.
The comments on his health were in the second half of a statement about
food production. There have been 11 written communiques signed by Castro
in recent weeks, most lashing out at U.S.-backed plans to use food crops
to produce biofuels.
"For now, I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, reflecting and
writing about questions that I judge of certain importance and
transcendence," the latest one said. "I have a lot more material to go."
No comments:
Post a Comment