Latest Fidel Castro Stories

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's armed forces, a one-time guerrilla outfit that became the communist country's most efficient and business-savvy institution, will play a crucial role whatever happens after Fidel Castro, experts on Cuba say. With their commander, Defense Minister Raul Castro, now taking over at least temporarily from his brother Fidel Castro as president, the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) are virtually running the country, they said. "We have the head of...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - An alert, but bedridden Fidel Castro laughed, joked and snacked with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the first video images of the ailing Cuban leader since he temporarily gave up power following surgery two weeks ago. He appeared frail, but in good spirits during the brief video, aired on Monday on Cuban state television in what appeared to be an attempt to allay uncertainty about his recovery. The only disclosure about Castro's health has...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Photos of ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro in a hospital bed have brought home to Cubans the prospect that the man who has decided most aspects of their lives for 47 years may never be the same. Even if Castro recovers from surgery from intestinal bleeding, the tireless revolutionary will have to put his workaholic days behind him, a top Castro aide said. In messages to the nation, Castro has told Cubans to prepare for the worst. Government...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban state television on Monday showed the first video images of ailing leader Fidel Castro, as he received a bedside visit from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his brother Raul Castro. The video, further evidence that Castro is recovering from surgery for intestinal bleeding about two weeks ago, showed a bed-ridden but alert Castro talking and smiling with Chavez on his 80th birthday on Sunday. Still frail from his operation, he was shown...

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban state television on Monday showed the first images of ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro receiving a bedside visit from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his brother Raul Castro. The video, further evidence that Castro is recovering from surgery for intestinal bleeding, showed Castro talking and smiling during the visit by Chavez on his 80th birthday on Sunday.

By Jane Sutton MIAMI (Reuters) - Cuban exiles in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood clung to hope on Monday that their old enemy was nearly gone, and said they suspected photos of Fidel Castro released this weekend were fakes. The sickroom photos showing the Cuban leader sitting up, holding a telephone, and chatting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez two weeks after surgery for intestinal bleeding were apparently released to reassure Cubans that Castro was recuperating. But some in...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's ailing Fidel Castro got a bedside visit from his main ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said on Monday, as it published pictures of the two leftist leaders. The daily said Castro, who temporarily ceded power to his younger brother, Raul Castro, on July 31 due to surgery for intestinal bleeding, spent more than three hours with Chavez on Sunday in what it called "An Unforgettable Afternoon Among...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's ailing Fidel Castro received a bedside visit from his main ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said on Monday, as it published pictures of the two leftist leaders. The daily said Castro, who temporarily ceded power to his younger brother Raul Castro on July 31 due to surgery for intestinal bleeding, spent more than three hours with Chavez on Sunday in what a headline called "An Unforgettable Afternoon...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro received a visit at his bedside from his main ally Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said on Monday, publishing pictures of the two men. The daily said Castro, who underwent stomach surgery two weeks ago, was fighting "for life." The gallery of pictures posted on Granma's Web site (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu) show Chavez shaking Castro's hand on his 80th birthday on Sunday,...

By Anthony Boadle HAVANA (Reuters) - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro received a visit at his bedside from his main ally Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said on Monday, publishing pictures of the two men. The daily said Castro, who underwent stomach surgery two weeks ago, was fighting "for life." The gallery of pictures posted on Granma's Web site (http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu) show Chavez shaking Castro's hand on his 80th birthday on Sunday,...