A senior Cuban official insisted Castro's final moment was "very far away,"
despite his handing over power to his brother after surgery.
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Cuba's
President Fidel Castro (L) speaks to his brother Raul during an event in
Havana in this July 1, 2004 file photo. Castro underwent intestinal
surgery on July 31, 2006 and delegated government functions provisionally
to his younger brother Raul, the government said in a televised statement
signed by the Cuban leader.
[Reuters]
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"Everything's normal
here — for the moment," said hospital worker Emilio Garcia, 41, waiting for a
friend at a Havana hotel. "But we've never experienced this before — it's like a
small test of how things could be without Fidel."
The speaker of parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, rejected the notion that Castro's
condition could be critical. He told the government's Prensa Latina news service
that the Cuban leader is known for fighting to the very end, but said his "final
moment is still very far away."
Alarcon also expressed disgust over celebrations taking place in Miami's
Cuban exile community, "vomit-provoking acts" he said were being led by
"mercenaries and terrorists."
He called on Cubans to unite and follow the example of Castro, who "watches
over every detail and takes measures to confront any enemy aggression."
The main newscast on state-run TV gave no details of the 79-year-old leader's
condition, but ran a string of man-on-the-street interviews with Cubans wishing
him well and professing confidence in the revolution's staying power. The anchor
said Castro had the people's "unconditional support."
It was unknown when or where the surgery took place or where Castro was
recovering. Alarcon called the surgery a "delicate operation" but provided no
details.
The Venezuelan government, Cuba's closest ally, said Cuban officials reported
Castro was "advancing positively" and leftist Argentine lawmaker Miguel Bonasso
said Castro aides told him the leader was resting peacefully.
Cubans were stunned when Castro's secretary read a letter on state television
Monday night announcing their leader was temporarily turning over power to his
younger brother, the island's defense minister and the president's designated
successor.
In the letter, Castro, who turns 80 on Aug. 13, said doctors operated to
repair a "sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding." Neither Castro
brother was shown.
Alarcon said Castro made a point of delegating all responsibilities when his
doctors told him to rest — a decision he said was made by a man "who was
completely conscious and able to adopt these resolutions."
Castro had been seen frequently in recent days, delivering speeches in
eastern Cuba during a revolutionary holiday and making waves at a trade summit
in Argentina. Those back-to-back trips and the resulting stress "ruined" his
health, according to his letter.
"It's so surprising, because in Argentina he gave off such a strong political
image and looked quite vital," said Rafael Marti, a businessman from Spain
visiting Cuba with his wife. He said he didn't expect rapid change on the island
90 miles south of Florida.
Cubans agreed nothing was likely to change overnight, especially not with
Castro's fiercely loyal brother at the helm. Raul Castro, who turned 75 in June,
has been his brother's constitutional successor for decades and has assumed a
more public profile in recent weeks.
The calm delivery of the announcement appeared intended to signal that any
transition of power would be orderly. Yet some feared resentment over class
divisions could spark conflict if a political vacuum develops.
"It's better for things to move slowly, instead of abrupt change," Garcia
said. "But people are a bit nervous — anything could happen."
