Castro Reported Ill in Buenos Aires

Insight ^ | May 28, 2003 | Martin Edwin Andersen

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Aging Cuban strongman Fidel Castro, 76, suffered another fainting spell May 25 as he exited an inauguration event in Buenos Aires for the new Argentine president, Nestor Kirchner, say eyewitnesses at the event.

A National Security Council source confirms having seen the report.

Castro was talking to an Argentine protocol officer and an unidentified woman when one of his bodyguards rushed toward him, pushing the woman to the floor, and grabbed the Cuban leader by the arm as he began to fall to the ground, sources tell Insight.

Another bodyguard reportedly grabbed Castro by the other arm, while the Argentine diplomat helped sustain the Cuban president by holding on to the back of his belt. The trio then carried the failing Castro, who had a similar fainting spell in June 2001, to the car.

The earlier incident caused a flurry of speculation about who might succeed the long-reigning Castro in the event that he dies. Information about Castro's fainting spell came as eyebrows were being raised in Washington over statements by Kirchner's foreign minister, former left-wing activist Rafael Bielsa, in which he skirted questions about recent human-rights violations in the Caribbean nation.

"I wouldn't dare to say, 'In Cuba, human rights are violated,'" Bielsa told the Spanish newspaper ABC, adding that he did not have "the job nor the moral authority to breezily say that."

In recent months, the Castro regime has imprisoned some 75 pro-democracy activists for terms of six to 28 years in what observers call the most severe crackdown on the island in recent years. In the interview, the new Argentine foreign minister appeared to suggest that Cuban authorities had acted properly in the crackdown, saying: "If I look at the formalities, there was a trial, there was an allegation, a defense lawyer and a prosecutor. All the steps were carried out."

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Couldn't happen to a nicer monster.

[Constitution Day]

Schadenfreude bump.

[Semper Paratus]

Maybe that poisoned wet suit finally got through his thick skin.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Fainting spell? Just like his sister, Janet Reno.

[dead]

Die already.

[dfwgator]

Normally I wouldn't wish death on anyone, but in this case, I'll make an exception.

[from occupied ga]

This is the tyrant who Ted (rhymes with brain dead) Turner called "one hell of a guy" The only problem I have if he drops dead right now is that it didn't happen 20 years ago.

[Dog]

Castro about to croak ping!

[amused]

DU must be crying buckets about now.

[Lanza]

Boo-hoo, the poor inFidel.
He's so evil.

[hchutch]

We can hope...

I'd prefer a candygram, though.

[mewzilla]

I'd like to send him a "Get worse soon!" card.

[Allegra]

Give our regards to Saddam when you get to Hell, OK, Fidel?

[MattinNJ]

Get in the coffin and die already.

[martin_fierro]

Que Castro se vaya a la gran puta que le parió, carajo.

[george wythe]

The good winds (buenos aires) might be bad weather after all.

Communist leaders tend to die of "colds."

Stay away from the wind, Mr. Castro!

[river rat]

"..... in the event that he dies."

Death is not an avoidable event..

The silly writer should have used the word WHEN.

Hopefully, soon and painful.

Semper Fi

[Modernman]

What happens in a post-Castro Cuba? God only knows....

[Ben Bolt]

Bump for hoping the report is true . Screw the bastard .

[amused]

BTW...welcome to FR!