Castro says he is stable, recovering

Posted on Tue, Aug. 01, 2006


Castro says he is stable, recovering

By OSCAR CORRAL, ANDRES VIGLUCCI AND MARTIN MERZER
mmerzer [at] MiamiHerald.com

A statement issued Tuesday night in Fidel Castro's name said his recovery from intestinal bleeding and a serious operation was underway, his health was ''stable'' and ``my spirit is perfectly fine.''

''I cannot invent good news, because that wouldn't be ethical,'' Castro supposedly said, in the statement read on Cuba's Round Table broadcast. ``And if the news were bad, the only one to benefit is the enemy.''

''I wish to say that the situation is stable, but a real evolution of the state of one's health requires the passing of time,'' the statement said. ``The most I could say is that the situation will remain stable for many days before a verdict can be delivered.''

Earlier Tuesday, Parliament Speaker Ricardo Alarcon said the ''final moment is still very far away.'' U.S. officials said they believed Castro was still alive.

But no new photo of Castro appeared, and his brother, Raúl Castro, remained out of sight since Monday night's announcement that he had acquired temporary control of the country. Fidel Castro is 79; his brother, 75.

At the same time, top Cuban exile leaders in Miami urged dissidents inside Cuba to ignite a nationwide movement of civil disobedience to protest the succession of power.

''It's time for the military not to shoot'' at those who mount peaceful protests, said Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Miami.

Speaking during a news conference in his Miami office, he said that the dissident community within Cuba has been appealing to exiles in South Florida and elsewhere to serve as its mouthpiece to promote passive resistance.

Castro's regime is ''historically dead,'' Diaz-Balart said, even if Castro is still alive after his emergency surgery.

Cuba's uncharacteristically detailed announcement Monday night of Castro's serious illness, the major surgery and his ceding of power to his brother triggered speculation and anticipation in Miami and Havana.

Havana Radio frequently broadcast excerpts of his recent speeches, sometimes interspersed with martial music, creating an atmosphere that further fueled speculation.

Castro has been in questionable health for years, said to be suffering from Parkinson's disease and other ailments.

Now, Diaz-Balart said, it boils down to this: People inside Cuba must demand change.

Cuba and South Florida both settled Tuesday into workaday routines tinged by eager, apprehensive expectation for news, one day after word that Castro was temporarily surrendering power set off street-dancing, horn-honking celebrations in Miami's Little Havana and in Hialeah.

By mid-day, there was wide-ranging speculation on both sides of the Florida Straits as to Castro's possible fate, but precious little in the way of hard information from Cuba.

Before signing off its U.S. broadcast at 11 a.m., Radio Havana offered no further news or commentary, just regular re-readings of Monday's announcement that the Cuban leader had undergone surgery to correct ``a sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding.''

In addition, the station broadcast at least one excerpt every hour from one of Castro's recently recorded speeches, usually dealing with health care and education under the revolutionary system.

The excerpts were generally of Castro at his healthiest and most combative and featured some of his witticisms. His voice sounded strong.

The next chance for news or discussion from Cuba may come at 6:30 p.m., the start of the nightly ''Mesa Redonda,'' or Round Table, a government TV news show.

Meanwhile, get-well messages poured in to Havana from all over the world, including the governments of Spain, Italy, Nicaragua, and, in Latin America, presidents and Castro friends Evo Morales in Bolivia and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.

Chile's ambassador to Cuba, Jaima Toha, said there was complete calm across the island despite the ''strong and surprising'' news of the power transfer to Raúl Castro.

''Havana saw a night of absolute tranquility,'' he told Chile's Radio Cooperativa, according to Spanish news agency EFE. ``No differences were noticed -- neither a police presence nor gatherings of people, and this morning I have received no information to the contrary.''

Miami was equally quiet.

Though a few small demonstrations lingered through the day, most of the celebrating crowds dispersed without untoward incident long before dawn, authorities said. There were no arrests or injuries related to the late-night celebrations, according to Miami-Dade police.

The county's emergency operations center in Doral remained activated Tuesday morning, more out of an abundance of caution than anything else. Miami-Dade's 24-hour answer center was up and running, and had received more than 500 calls regarding Castro's health and street closures.

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez said authorities were ready for more celebrations, should they come, but urged that they be orderly.

''We cannot block streets, and the reason is public safety,'' he said.

Said Miami-Dade spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta: ``As long as everybody celebrates in a peaceful way, which is what's happened so far, we're fine with it. We don't want to interfere with their joy.''

The Archdiocese of Miami called on Cuban Catholics to pray for a peaceful transition in Cuba. In a statement released Tuesday, Archbishop John Favalora urged Catholics to remain calm and pray that the power shift in Cuba will benefit the Cuban people.

''The archbishop has asked that we all pray; that we have tranquility and peace so that we are in deep communion with the people of Cuba,'' said Father Fernando Hería, pastor of St. Brendan Catholic Church, a native of Cuba who left the island at age 11. ``I hope and I pray that whatever happens politically in Cuba will be peaceful and for the betterment of the people.''

In workplaces, local TV and radio broadcasts, restaurants, talk and speculation swirled around one question: Did the announcement Monday night that Castro was temporarily handing over power because of health concerns truly mean an end to his nearly 47-year-reign?

Is he dead or is he alive?

''I hope to God he's dead. But I think he might still be alive,'' said Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz, a late arrival at a Chamber of Commerce military affairs committee meeting because he had slept little.

''Either way, this will be the start of the demise of the regime,'' Diaz said. ``It's history because this is the first time that Castro relinquished power.''

But financier Raúl Mas Canosa, younger brother of late exile leader Jorge Mas Canosa, said in an interview that it's ``a little bit premature to sort of celebrate.''

''Fidel Castro's been around for much longer than any of us care to remember, and I think he's a very wily, very conniving individual,'' he said. ``It wouldn't surprise me if this was just sort of a test run to sort of figure out how people are gonna react to his eventual transfer of power to his younger brother, Raúl.

``I think we just need to be on guard, be on ready for what will probably be a convoluted transition process as the eventuality happens and he ceases to exist.''

During the morning news conference, Diaz-Balart said that the U.S. government had just received a list of 56 people inside Cuba who have engaged in violent reprisals against dissidents and pro-democracy activists. He said those people would be ``brought to justice.''

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, speaking at the same news conference, said she did not believe the U.S. should reach out diplomatically to Raúl Castro, labeling him an ''assassin'' and ''thug,'' words she has often used to describe Fidel Castro.

Miami-Dade's three Cuban-American congressional representatives, Diaz-Balart, Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Balart's brother, Mario, all Republicans, said they planned to meet Wednesday with top White House officials.

By Tuesday, many in Little Havana had grown more wary in their observations. Spanish-language radio station WQBA, which has been carrying continuous coverage of the power transfer since Monday night, reported things were calm in Havana, Cuba, as well.

''It's still not clear what is happening over there,'' said Daniel Torres, news director at WQBA, which he said has five human-rights activists working as journalists across the island.

Some of the early-morning regulars at Versailles, the Cuban restaurant that is a community institution, even suggested that Monday's announcement could be a trick.

''No one knows anything for sure,'' said Luis Cabral, a Cuban migrant who has been in South Florida since 1966. ``I think he's sick, but I think he's dying slowly. I don't think he'll die anytime soon.''

Added Cabral: ``If people really want to take back Cuba, they need to forgive and start anew without him.''

Though the restaurant was crowded Tuesday morning -- partly with television news cameras -- few patrons wanted to discuss their thoughts with news reporters over Cuban coffee. Some feared that premature celebrations could imperil Cubans on the island.

''Naturally, I'm happy to hear that he's ill,'' said Caridad Mora, who has been in South Florida since 1962. ``But people need to be careful, because there could always be consequences. They need to wait to make sure it's official that he dies before they take to the streets, because it's too dangerous.''

Alicia Alonso, who was carrying a Cuban flag, said she wished her grandparents could have lived to see this day.

''Let's hope he croaks fast,'' she said. ``I have a mixed reaction. If it's true, I'm glad. But if it's another one of his scenarios, then he's playing with the feelings of the Cuban people.''

Herald staff writers Alexandra Alter, Susan Anasagasti, Pablo Bachelet, Lesley Clark, Elaine De Valle, Larry Lebowitz, Tere Figueras Negrete, Susannah A. Nesmith, Charles Rabin, Carol Rosenberg and Nikki Waller and Herald translator Renato Pérez contributed to this report.



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