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Fidel Castro’s condition reported as “grave”

Tuesday, 16 January 2007

Fidel Castro’s condition reported as “grave”

Fidel Castro, the 80-year-old ailing presidential leader of Cuba, has been reported in the Spanish El Pais newspaper as in a “grave condition,” having had three failed operations and with an intestinal infection that has developed.

However, a Cuban diplomatic source in Madrid said: "It's another lie and we are not going to talk about it. If anyone has to talk about Castro's illness its Havana."

El Pais had cited two unnamed sources from the Gregorio Maranon hospital in the Spanish capital of Madrid, which employs surgeon Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, who had been flown to Cuba to treat Fidel Castro.

Back in July, Fidel Castro had handed over his position on a temporary basis to his brother, Defence Minister Raul Castro, until he could recover from emergency intestinal surgery, which had sparked a lot of speculation in Cuba and around the world.

Cuban officials have denied that Fidel Castro has cancer or any terminal illness and say that he will eventually return to public life.

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