Posted on 08/06/2006 2:53:17 PM PDT by wagglebee
VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez today said Cuban leader Fidel Castro was now able to leave his bed and hold conversations following stomach surgery that required him to temporarily hand over power to his brother.
"This morning I learned that he's doing well, that he's already standing up out of bed, he's talking - more than he should, because he talks a lot," said Mr Chavez during a conversation with Bolivian President Evo Morales broadcast on television.
"He has sent us regards."
Venezuelan government sources yesterday said Mr Chavez does not have a trip to Cuba on his agenda despite media rumours that he was planning to visit Castro, a close Chavez ally whose country has benefited from preferential sales of Venezuelan crude oil.
Castro was reported yesterday to be able to eat and sit up.
Mr Chavez cancelled a scheduled trip to Bolivia to visit the opening of Bolivia's constituent assembly, charged with rewriting the country's constitution.
The Cuban government last week announced that Castro, 79, had handed control of the government temporarily to his younger brother Raul.
Neither of the two leaders has made a public appearance since the announcement.
Castro has served as a political role model for both Mr Morales and Mr Chavez, who has become the most visible face of a group of increasingly influential leftist Latin American leaders.
I'm sorry to hear this.......
He's probably still alive, although if the reports from Brazil that he has stomach cancer are true, he would be lucky to make it until Christmas.
Chavez has to play nice if he wants to get paid for some of the oil he's been selling to Cuba, LOL.
"Castro was reported yesterday to be able to eat and sit up."
Uh huh. He's sitting up and ingesting food, immediately following surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his stomach. Riiight.
Me too...trusting a communist to tell the truth especially Chavez...I'll take what he says like a grain of salt.
Hahah yes! It always comes down to business! Haha!
Hugo Chavez is not a giant of credibility.
No photos of either Castro to be seen. You would think the regime would put out a photo to calm the masses, though the military/police presence on the streets apparently has the populace cowed for the time being.
It will be interesting to see how long they can get away with this...
Yes and then they will blame the U.S. for killing him. And the press here will suggest that perhaps those charges should be investigated.
IIRC, Kim Jong Mentally Ill said he gave up golf because the first time he played he had 18 holes in one and it bored him.
"he gave up golf because the first time he played he had 18 holes in one and it bored him"
Oh, the ennui. What's a maximum leader to do?
This is worse than Tom Cruise's baby. Nobody's seen it except a few cult members.
I like the part that he was passing his authority to his YOUNGER brother. Yeah, really YOUNGER.
And probably startin' to stink.
"Hello, Jim? He's.... Yeah, I'll hold."
"Uh huh. He's sitting up and ingesting food, immediately following surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his stomach. Riiight." .......It is! Been there, the very next day they gave me pot roast, green beans and potatos. And that was here in the USA. About an hour after I ate it I gave it back.
He's DEAD Jim!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nope. He's "coffin-ridden."
I guess now he can only make 5-hour speeches as opposed to his normal 10-hour ones.
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