[Marxism] Fidel Castro resumes official business

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6578539.stm

Castro resumes official business
Cuba's Fidel Castro has held talks with a top 
delegate from China in what is thought to be his 
first official act since his illness last year.

Mr Castro - who has handed over power temporarily 
to his brother, Raul - has appeared to play a 
greater role in Cuba over the last few weeks.

The Communist Party newspaper Granma said the talks were "fruitful".

Its website also carried a photograph of Mr 
Castro, standing and shaking hands with the Chinese delegation.

The latest pictures published by Cuban official 
media also show him talking and apparently taking 
notes during Friday's meeting.

Mr Castro's health, which remains a state secret, 
came under close scrutiny by international media 
after he had stomach surgery last July.

The Cuban president has not been seen in public 
since then but his ally, Venezuelan President 
Hugo Chavez, has been giving regular updates on 
his condition and recently said Mr Castro was "almost totally recovered".

The speculation now is whether Mr Castro might 
soon be fit enough to appear in public, reports 
the BBC's Stephen Gibbs in Havana.

The forthcoming International Labour Day on 1 May 
is one possible date. For most of the last 47 
years of his rule, Mr Castro has marked the 
occasion with a lengthy speech in Havana's revolution square.

While few expect Mr Castro to address the crowd 
this year, some sort of appearance is not being 
ruled out, our correspondent says, Mr Castro held 
talks for about an hour with Wu Guanzheng, a 
member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo, Granma reported.

Mr Castro was handed a letter from Chinese 
President Hu Jintao, in which he praised the 
"excellent ties" between the two countries, the newspaper said.

In 2006 China became the country's second largest 
trading partner, with trade between the two 
nations worth some $1.8m (1.4m euros; £0.94m) last year.

Mr Wu is on a four-day visit to boost political 
and trade ties between the two communist allies.

After his meeting with Mr Castro, Mr Wu also held talks with Raul Castro.


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