Posted on 10/21/2004 8:08:03 AM PDT by areafiftyone
HAVANA (AP) - President Fidel Castro (news - web sites) fell leaving the stage after a televised speech Wednesday night, hurting his knee and arm but quickly recovering his composure to tell Cubans he was otherwise "all in one piece."
Castro, 78, was shown on live television after his tumble, sitting in a chair at the live outdoor event in the central city of Santa Clara, a three-hour drive east of Havana. Holding a microphone, he said that "maybe I broke my knee, and maybe an arm . . . but I am all in one piece." Castro's condition was not immediately known.
People watching television could not see what happened after Castro wrapped up the speech at a graduation ceremony for arts instructors and left the stage. Television viewers only saw several of his security men running, evidently to assist him.
An Associated Press photographer at the scene said Castro tripped on a concrete step after he finished walking down the wooden stairs from the stage, then fell onto the ground on his right side, first hitting his knee and hip, and then his elbow and arm.
He was immediately surrounded by scores of security agents and others who rushed to help him up.
As he has grown older, Castro's knees have seemed to bother him more and his step has seemed less steady.
Dressed in his typical olive green uniform, Castro was sweating profusely when he appeared on camera less than a minute after the fall. He asked Cubans to forgive him for "any suffering this may have caused."
"I will do what is possible to recover as fast as possible, but as you can see I can still talk," he said. "Even if they put me in a cast, I can continue in my work."
Castro noted the presence of international photographers and television camera crews at the event.
"The international press has captured it and surely tomorrow it will be on the front pages of the newspapers," said Castro. He then encouraged those at the event to continue with their musical program, which they did.
Castro had made it clear he did not want to leave the area in an ambulance and was later seen speeding away in his black Mercedes-Benz.
The incident did not appear nearly as serious as a fall in June 2001, when Castro apparently fainted before a crowd of thousands during a speech in the scorching sun.
At that time, Castro joked that it was only a rehearsal to see what kind of burial he would get.
The earlier incident provoked intense speculation about Castro's health, and what will happen in Cuba after he dies.
The health of Castro, who has been in power for 45 years, has long been closely watched - particularly by his political enemies in Miami, home to a large Cuban exile community.
Michael 'Fatass' Moore, Jimmuh, and Oliver Stoner must be deeply saddened.
only a knee and an arm huh?
Pity he didn't break his neck.
You beat me. A metaphor for communism
Read this on another thread earlier. Unfortunately, the B*st*rd seems to be fine.
Why, oh why didn't he break his neck?
Castro getting ready for Hell.
See ya' next fall!
Hope he landed on his head
"I've fallen and I can't get up."
Or am I already on it?
--Still don't think that would knock any sense into him, though ;-)
He'll be dead within a week.
LOL I wish! Oh how I wish!!!
"My regime is falling and it can't get up!"
At his age, broken bones can be very dangerous.
(fingers firmly crossed)
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