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Fidel refutes
stories on his state of health. |
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PRESIDENT Fidel Castro has personally refuted stories
reporting a supposed worsening of his state of health
and has affirmed that he is progressing as anticipated
after his operation.
On Saturday evening, October 28, Cuban TV showed footage
in which the leader of the Revolution appeared talking
and reading out aloud headlines from the Granma and
Juventud Rebelde newspapers.
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“Now, when our enemies have
prematurely declared me moribund or dead, I am pleased to send out this short
filmed material to my compatriots and friends throughout the world, while
insisting – as I have been doing for a while now – that my recuperation will be
a lengthy one, which is not exempt from risks,” noted Fidel, wearing a tracksuit
in the Cuban national colors.
“I am participating in many things. I watch the main news on television and am
also participating in many of the most important decisions with comrades from
the (Communist) Party and government leadership. I am doing everything possible
to support the compañeros, to be useful, and I feel content,” he added.
He went on to show one of the telephones via which he makes a number of calls
every day.
“Now let’s see what they say. Now they’ll have to resuscitate me, won’t they? It
hasn’t bothered me, I have absolutely no fear of what is happening, but they’re
making total fools of themselves,” he said.
I saw a newspaper shown on Venezolana de Televisión saying ‘Castro agonizing,’
‘Castro dead.’ How stupid. On the contrary, they are prompting me to work and
fight,” he affirmed on the video, in which he is also seen standing, exercising
his arms and taking steps.
“I am aware that the problems of the world are very complicated, very serious,
and arising everywhere. I feel the obligation – as we all should – to make a
special effort to avert a fatal disaster for humanity,” he warned, adding:
“I don’t want to say any more, but as I watch all the news –never in my life
have I seen so much news—I have been able to closely observe the panorama. And I
am always fighting for something, and fighting with optimism!”
“That’s why I asked you to come here and take photos,” he concluded after
energetically exclaiming the historic slogan of “¡Patria o Muerte, Venceremos!”
(Translated by Granma International) |
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(Granma) 31-10-2006 |
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