Posted on 08/14/2006 2:19:06 PM PDT by freedom44
HAVANA - Cubans welcomed new photographs showing Fidel Castro in an 80th birthday visit with his brother Raul and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as evidence that their leader was alive and recovering — although visibly more mortal than ever.
Castro has become larger than life in his nearly 50 years in power. He's generally seen shaking his fist in the air, leading huge marches or giving long speeches, and iconic images of a younger, more vital Castro often appear in state-run media.
But Monday's photographs showed him bedridden, looking tired and pale as he clasped the hand of close friend Chavez.
"I was thinking the worst before," said 37-year-old Ernesto Fundora, who works at a tobacco factory. "Now I don't have any doubt that he's alive. But still, he could go at any minute."
Just a few years ago, Castro's health — and especially his eventual death — were taboo subjects. Some loyalists insisted he literally would never die.
Many now say they expect him to be around awhile yet, but with this latest illness, few insist he'll live forever.
Castro announced two weeks ago that he had undergone surgery for intestinal bleeding and was putting his brother in charge while he recuperates. On his birthday, he released a statement saying his recovery would be long, and warned Cubans to prepare for "adverse news" — advice perhaps aimed at helping them come to terms with his eventual death.
The streets of Havana remained calm Monday. While Castro's illness has made Cubans uneasy about the future, upbeat statements from government officials and the two days of photographs have helped calm their nerves as they face up to his mortality.
"It seems like he is getting better. He's a strong and healthy person and everyone wants him to get well," said Angela Ramirez, a 43-year-old cleaning woman.
Whether he gets back on his feet or permanently cedes control to defense minister Raul Castro, his constitutional successor, some say they expect much to remain the same in Cuba.
"I don't think anything is going to change," said Valeria Ramos, 38, now unemployed as she cares for her disabled child. "Our people are united, and even if Fidel's no longer here, all of us Cubans will be.
"But I do hope he can keep guiding us," she added.
Castro has not been seen publicly since July 26, and Cuban officials haven't released details of his condition or disclosed where he's being treated.
The Cuban government also hasn't announced any changes in plans for the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Havana on Sept. 11-16, when leaders of some 120 nations are expected to come to Havana and Cuba will take over the group's rotating presidency. On Monday, Iran's IRNA news service reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Raul Castro to wish his brother a speedy recovery and offer Tehran's help as Cuba prepares for the summit.
Castro spent hours with his brother and Chavez on Sunday, eating, laughing and sharing anecdotes, according to the Communist Party newspaper Granma, which published photographs of their meeting. A day earlier, the party's youth paper, Juventud Rebelde, released the first images of Castro since his July 31 announcement.
Scores of people swarmed Havana's newspaper stands Monday to buy the daily and see the seven images. They showed him in bed, clasping Chavez's hand affectionately; writing in a notebook; eating a snack; and even holding a dagger Chavez gave him for his 80th birthday. Chavez said the blade once belonged to the South American independence fighter Simon Bolivar.
Chavez and the Castro brothers were shown smiling next to a large portrait of the Cuban leader, painted in 1959 by Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, which Raul gave to Chavez.
The Granma article quoted Chavez as saying, "This is the best visit I've ever had in my life."
"They look very good to me," 79-year-old parking attendant Rene Vicente Rodriguez said of the photographs in the paper. "The people love him and we are going to have Fidel for a while."
Yeah. To all the sycophantic lefties in the MSM and the Rat Party.
Could they at least have him holding up today's issue of the Daily Rag so we can check the date?
He is So dead
You wonder how much of this hero worship is spin by the media, and how much really is in the hearts of the Cubans.
"Chavez said the blade once belonged to the South American independence fighter Simon Bolivar."
No word on how and where Chavez would have obtained such an antiquity. Also, no word on whether Castro believed Chavez. No word on whether anyone noticed the discreet inscription "Hecho en China."
Yep! I didn't think so at first but the fact that all that's being released is still photos confirms it IMHO.
you should've heard the chicago sun's havanna bureau chief praising the new chavez-castro pictures that were released today on NPR. he called them "awesome." he was just pouring praise over the regime, saying that the castro people had handled the whole thing expertly. i was gripping the steering wheel white knuckle-style and shouting profanities at the radio. it was sick commie-loving stuff.
I saw a pic of Castro meeting with Jimmy Carter and he was wearing that same jacket. I bet this was done on the same day, this could have been done a year ago for all we know.... that page could have been blank!
Nice job AP. Keep the fluff comin'. Just don't complain when a more freedom-friendly wire service comes along and kicks your butt.
IMO, Casto is being kept alive against his body's wishes. And I don't think Raul even exists. There's probably a few militants running the country and killing all sorts of ppl and saying, "Raul ordered it". Then, after thousands are dead, they'll say "Wouldn't you rather ME as your leader instead of that evil Raul?"
Chavez meets Castro in his sickbed and no video cameras are there??????? Yea Right!
I'd heard all the journos were tossed out...
Now...without the gun pointed at his head:
"I was hoping the bastard was dead," said 37-year-old Ernesto Fundora, who works at a tobacco factory. "Now I think he might be alive. But still, I hope the bastard is burning in hell before week's end."
Dead -- did you do this photoshop?!? Very cute, the pic of Castro is so priceless--what a saucy, buxom and sassy wench he is!
Those Castro Chavez pictures are hilarious!
Cubans Reflect on Life Under/After Castro
Aug. 12, 2006
The recent health woes of long time dictator Fidel Castro has Cubans thinking about the future—and the past. Castro has ruled the country since 1959. Most of the population has known no other government.
“We are poor, but we are happy,” said Ernesto, a cane field worker. “We have free health care.”
Ernesto says he was grateful for the free health care the time the police cracked his skull and knocked out most of his teeth. “I was wearing a ‘vote for Pedro’ t-shirt,” Ernesto said with a nearly toothless smile. “You know, the one from that ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ movie. The police thought I was a counterrevolutionary. They beat me with sticks. ‘Who is Pedro?’ they kept asking. I was in the hospital for six-weeks. If it weren’t for Fidel I wouldn’t have had medical care. I’m too poor to pay for a hospital.”
The low crime rate was cited by Chiquita, a prostitute, as a great achievement of the regime. “Who would rob me?” she asked. “I am poor. I have nothing to steal. It also helps me keep my weight down, which is important for my job.”
Chiquita also praised the police. “Since I started paying them part of my earnings they look out for me,” Chiquita said. “One time, there was this guy wearing this stupid ‘Vote for Pedro’ shirt who was bothering me. He couldn’t pay and he wouldn’t go away. He was scaring away my customers. The police took him away. Why would anyone need to vote for Pedro anyway? Voting is just a way for capitalists to exploit the workers.”
Jorge, recently released after completing a prison sentence for trying to leave the country expressed anxiety for the future. “I was barely saved from the biggest mistake of my life when they sank my boat and brought me back,” he said. “My head was filled with imperialist lies. I thought I wanted freedom and prosperity. Now I understand these are just lures to ensnare the working class. Who will protect us from these lures if Fidel dies? I fear no one could meet the challenge.”
A government statement attributed to Raul Castro tried to reassure the Cuban people by reminding them that his brother was not officially dead yet. Meanwhile, the Cuban army has been mobilized to deter the U.S. from using Castro’s illness as an opportunity to invade the island.
Meanwhile, National Assembly speaker Ricardo Alarcon returned from visiting a recuperating Fidel Castro describing the 79 year-old Cuban leader as “amazingly lifelike.”
read more...
http://www.azconservative.org/Semmens1.htm
On second thought, I don't want to know...
Interesting, that double shadow behind Chavez.
Can we say Castro "no longer casts a shadow"?
Castro has no shadow! Is that a steak for his heart?
It appears there may have been two camera "flashes" to cause the double shadow behind Chavez.
I can think of no explanation for the lack of any shadow behind/under Castro's head.
I don't know.
But it certainly appears his head is high enough in relation to the camera that it would have thrown a shadow similar to Chavez'.
He lives!
sw
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He's a vampire. |
Actually, I'm rather agnostic on all this FAUXtography stuff. I think it's being overdone.
But the shadows ARE wierd. Look at the lighter shadow and how it falls all the way behind Castro's head, but it doesn't fall on his face. And the part on the pillow has a cut out in it.
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