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Roberto Chile / AFP - Getty Images file
Handout file picture released by Cuban website www.cubadebate.cu of Fidel Castro during the presentation of the two volumes of his new book, "Guerrillero del tiempo (Time Guerrilla)," on February 3 in Havana.
Amid rumors that Fidel Castro's health had deteriorated, a message from the Cuban revolutionary leader was read out on his behalf at an event in Havana on Wednesday.
In a news item broadcast on state television, Cuba’s Minister of Public Health Roberto Morales was seen and heard delivering the statement marking the 50th anniversary of a Havana medical school, according to AP Television.
In it, the former president paid tribute to the thousands of clinicians who had graduated from the institute over the past half-century and reminded those present why it had been set up.
"The institute was inaugurated in response to the criminal action by the neighboring empire (referring to U.S.) to take, as it did with promises of visas and employment, the majority of our 6,000 medical doctors in this country," said Morales, reading the statement from Castro.
NYT: Cuba to allow free travel abroad
No images or sound from Castro himself were broadcast.
Cuba’s news agency, Prensa Latina, reported that during the ceremony, certificates of recognition, signed by Castro, were presented to workers, teachers and students.
A look at the life and times of the Cuban leader who has outlasted nine U.S. presidents.
The health and location of Fidel are shrouded in mystery. The Associated Press reported that Castro had been mostly out of sight since he left office in 2006 due to a life-threatening intestinal condition. At times the only word on how he was doing came in remarks from ally Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president. On October 4, Chavez told reporters Castro had been in touch to comment on Venezuela’s presidential campaign.
NBC News' Peter Jeary and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Florida: The Sunshine State and Neighboring Empire
Can't pass soon enough - get the champagne and glasses ready!!!
@ parkwaync...stupid jerk i'm willing to bet you can't even verbalize the reasons WHY you hate Castro.
you probably no nothing of the history of the Cuban Revolution, or about the beast, Batista, the cruel and vulgar dictator of Cuba that Castro removed in 1959. Willfully ignorant people like you are a disgrace to America.
Hey, ignorant Cuban government mouthpiece, it's "know", but I would not expect anyone with a Cuban education to know that.
Cuban Cigars haven't seem to had a bad effect on him.
He quit smoking cigars almost 30 years ago.
Rom@ thanks for the feedback. That's good to know
Castro and Chavez should put up high voltage Christmas lights in the rain holding hands to get it over with. The 1950's socialism is dead and never worked. I can't wait until Cuba is wide open for travel to get some "Cubans". We will name him Willy instead of Rafael, yes? The sooner the better.
Cuba is wide open for travel and everything. The US government prevents its citizens from vacationing in Cuba, although we can take a vacation in communist China and Vietnam; it doesn't depends on Castro or Cuba.
Who the hell is Rafael?
Romilio, Rafael is Fidel's younger brother who took over as dictator when Fidel thought he was going to die the second time.
With China and Vietnam our pandering politicians haven't allowed a minority group in a swing state to dictate US foreign policy. Another effect of our idiotic 18th century electoral system
Rafael? You meant to say Raul???
Was just going to say "Raul"
mathuin totally wrong, the name is Raul, there is no Rafael in the Castro's clan, the older brother's name is Ramon. I don't know where did you get Rafael from.
@ Fidel Castro
"Que su sufrimiento será largo y duro. Como lo ha sido para el pueblo Cubano"~ ME
With an only friend like Hugo Chavez, maybe Fidel has finally figured out he doesn't have much to stand for any more. He has inflicted his bad judgment on Cuba long enough -- even though he got there with the help of the US and the CIA -- and maybe he has decided it's time to "move on and see what's next" in the 'afterlife'. If Hugo could join him both countries would be much better off.
His bad judgement??? Can you read?? He got there because the mob owned the island to the detriment of the people. Cuba was the whorehouse of the Carrribbean. Reveloutions don't happen because people are happy. The racial makeup of the country changed because the light skinned came to the US, as they had to get out of there because they were screwing their own country. He would have fallen a long time ago if we would have had open relations with them instead of this stupid embargo and kissing the behind of the Miami cubans. All we did was unify the people against us so they wouldn't see how he was screwing them over just like the old government was. There would be a McDonalds on every corner and he would have fallen a long time ago. For me, the grandson of immigrants, when you come to the US, leave your garbage behind but the Cubans didn't
He's been dead for awhile now. They're just giving him the Weekend At Bernie's treatment.
That is exactly what I was thinking Jason.
Love him or hate him there is something to admire about him surviving many US presidents going back to Eisenhower...a true Revolutionary of our times and NEVER giving in to the US Imperialist machine..
I could just see you gazing at your Che Guevara poster as you typed this.....It's not chic or cool to be a Tyrant.....and there is NOTHING to be admired. A people lost their homeland .....a paradise.
Actually I have a great admiration for Che Guevara...he was a great humanist. You should read about him. In any event my friend, whom do you mean by "a people" anyway. You mean those that were ruled under the brutal dictatorship Bautista whom was propped up by the US gov't? And you mentioned the rhetorical word "Tyrant"...what is a tyrant anyway? Do we not do business with them, supportthem, and even arm them? Need I name a few? We supported (and armed) Saddam Hussein (and Bin Laden), and we have historically supported brutal regimes and still do like the Saudis and other iron fisted govt through out the world...need I continue?....Oh yea and if you have a problem with Communism then check again...the shirt and a whole bunch of things you purchase on an almost every day basis was made there....I guess you support Communism as well (directly or indirectly)...mmm??...and I do wonder...does Communism fall under "Tyrannical?"
@ sic...I don't think you wan't to get into this with me....I have heard the stories of people being dragged out of their homes in the middle of the night and shot in the head in front of their children....because their politics did not align with the revolution. Is this your idea of freedom and equality? Here you are... free to speak your mind.....and you speak nonsense. In Cuba you would thrown in a gulag to rot. You have "a great admiration" for a murderer who killed those who oppose by firing squad. Bautista was no saint ....but he was only "brutal" to revolutionaries trying to overthrow him. In one sense I am forever grateful to my parents for bringing me to the greatest country on the planet ....so that I may prosper. On the other hand I am pained by the devastating decision that they had to make....leaving family behind never to be seen again. I do not take my freedom in America lightly .....you should also learn to appreciate it ...as it may not last long, if people continue to be brainwashed into thinking that the "Communist Utopia" is real .
First of all: yes, Castro (and Che) murdered and supressed their people. Not my idea of heroes.
BUT: Batista wasn't "only brutal to revolutionaries" - he sold out his country to the mafia and foreign governments, suspended the constitution, and murdered 10's of thousands of his people. At one point, the only crime you had to be guilty of was being a university student. That would earn you a bullet in the head, regardless of your political beliefs or actions.
I don't post this in defense of the "Communist Utopia". But people should recognize what LEAD UP to the revolution in the first place. Most people have no idea what was going on in Cuba before Castro showed up.
Mifo,Great post and you do know Cubas history.Maybe people actually learned something today about Cuba.
Also a stone-cold murderer who killed so many of his own people - - as most Communist leaders did/do - - -NOTHING to "love" their sic vita est!!!
I hate Castro, but to be honest, less than 10,000 people were killed in the early years of the revolution and almost none was killed without a trial, although many of of those were unfair trials with lack of due process. Che Guevara was in charge of the executions.
Many US friendly dictators (Duvalier, Somoza, Trujillo, Pinochet, Marcos, etc) killed as many or more than that. Currently Cuba has had a moratorium on capital punishment for more than 10 years and there are more soldiers in the streets of Honduras, Mexico or Colombia than any Cuban street.
History will vindicate him...he is truly a hero and a revolutionary.
PValdes, I've enjoyed many of your posts but probably never as much as this one. Well said.
Castro's redistribution of the wealth has not worked.The once wealthy are poor and the once poor are not so wealthy.I would hope that after he is gone the Cuban people will be able to freely elect a president of their choosing.I personally know people who escaped Cuba that are now U.S. citizens.they are against the U.S. trading with Cuba.the U.S. in spite of what's happened in Cuba since Castro's regime need to open up trade with this country.China and Russia are trading with them and will be the economic winners if we don't step up to the plate.
Lady: I to hope that we lose the archaic notion that trading with them is bad. Trading with them would benefit both sides. That counry could be come very wealthy with just the tourist trade. The weather, the beaches, they've got it all. Personally, I think it would hasten the change that is sure to come. if we opend up full trade with them. I hope the former cuban, now US citizens return home when that happens - because the country will need some experienced hands with the democratic method when the change happens and it will, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Kate-344962,Cuba has that you mentioned and also those Classic American cars.I do want to see the people of Cuba free to travel and have the same liberties as we do. Love your comments and I agree with you on this article.
No Loss! No Less!
Are we even sure that he is still alive? He will be 150 years old and still releasing statements and signatures.
Castro is not an immortal, he will expire. What ever will they do when he does? When he does, I imagine that there will be a large, lavish, very public funeral. Though I do not agree with what he has done to (not for) his country, his revolution was because of what bad folks from this country were doing to his country. The "mob" was very active then, do remember the history. I certainly hope that the brother, currently now interim leader, will see the light of freedom of commerce and what it will do for (not to) his country. It will be nice to see them grow and prosper - both sides of that narrow straight of water will benefit.
I'm on my way to Cuba at the end of October. Can't wait to hear what the buzz is there about Castro.
First of all, I hate people who are ignorant and dont know who Batista was and what Cuba was really like before the revolution. No revolution is perfect and no system is perfect (Capitalism, Communism, socialism, anarchism, etc). Cuba's revolution has made tremendous gains. Who in this world would not like free medical care and free eduacation, and not have to worry about student loans?
I went to Cuba legally and did not see any homeless people on the streets. Everyone has a place to live (rent is 10% of the salary), and people are quite happy. Yes, change is good, and many of the young people want change, but at what expense? Seems to me the U.S wants to return Cuba back to the Batista days.
putter-4343093,Did you go to the prisons? To this day there are still political prisoners incarcerated.Castro is not a nice person.He is guilty of the same crimes as those he revolted against.The people have to act happy or they too will be imprisoned for speaking out about Castro and his brother Raul.I personally know Cubans who fled in the 1970's.One elderly man grew up next door to Castro yet he was sent to the work camps.You may not have seen homeless people but if you looked hard enough most of them were hungry.
There is something to be said for Castro who could not be broken by the US. We in the US stick up for our country right or wrong. many cannot see the predatory practices that our businesses have here and abroad. We don't understand that many people over the world are happy the way they are, under the political system they live in and we should not impose our will on anyone. As history has taught us that when people have had enough of their rulers they fight for their own freedoms and not from the outside.
Any leader that has exploited, terrorized or killed his own citizens for his personal benefit or to keep a tight grip on his political position, in no way should be held in high esteem, that includes every government and leader that has served since time began!
So if and when Fidel Castro passes away, it will be a benefit to this world, just another dictator and politician to disappear from existence, but don't feel relief just yet, the world can always dig up another person who is just as bad if not worse!
sic vida est makes a valid point, but you cannot forget the ruthlessness of Fidel's regime. I had a spanish professor who was imprisoned and tourtured for being gay before he left for the US. However, it is contradictory for the US to support the military Juntas of South American from the late 60s to mid 80s that killed or disappeared close to 100k people, but Fidel was just too "extreme" for them. I agree with putter, most of you commenting on this story need to educate yourselves on the conditions in Cuba follwing our war with Spain in 1899 that led to Fidel's revolution.
Is that old mummified Commie turd still alive?????
The docs there could potentially keep his heart and vitals going for a while, even if he is brain-dead, just to keep him "alive" like some sick Frankenstein experiment named "Long live Fidel".
perhaps we made him a commie. the mob owned the island and he kicked there ass out. maybe he had to turn to russia for support against our sanctions. do not think our government is always truthful. but i really would like to pee on his grave. hopefully he die soon and we can open cuba as a friend.
Castro just died
fidel castro ruz, the BASTARD from Biran, province of Oriente, CUBA. MURDERED of thousands of CUBANS, a DICTATOR and a TERRORIST, together with brother raul and argentinian born "che" guevara, ENSLAVED, TORTURED, and IMPRISONED, tens of thousand CUBANS. The longest living DICTATOR in the world and yet adored by a lot of FOOLS. May there be a HELL, so you can be there for ETERNITY. RAUL your day is coming, and CUBA will be free again SOONER than you THINK!