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| Fidel Castro's public appearance quashes deathbed rumours | Fidel Castro's public appearance quashes deathbed rumours |
| (30 days later) | |
| Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro says he doesn't even suffer from headaches, in an article he published in state media on Monday, criticising those who spread rumours he was on his deathbed. | Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro says he doesn't even suffer from headaches, in an article he published in state media on Monday, criticising those who spread rumours he was on his deathbed. |
| The article is accompanied by photos taken by his son Alex that show the 86-year-old revolutionary leader standing outside wearing a checked shirt and straw hat, including one in which he is seen reading Friday's copy of the Communist party newspaper Granma. | The article is accompanied by photos taken by his son Alex that show the 86-year-old revolutionary leader standing outside wearing a checked shirt and straw hat, including one in which he is seen reading Friday's copy of the Communist party newspaper Granma. |
| "I don't even remember what a headache feels like," Castro claims, adding that he was releasing the photos to show "how dishonest" the rumour-mongers have been. | "I don't even remember what a headache feels like," Castro claims, adding that he was releasing the photos to show "how dishonest" the rumour-mongers have been. |
| The article, published on the state-run Cubadebate website, is the latest evidence the former Cuban president is alive and seemingly well after more than a week of intense speculation he was seriously ill. | The article, published on the state-run Cubadebate website, is the latest evidence the former Cuban president is alive and seemingly well after more than a week of intense speculation he was seriously ill. |
| Twitter and other social media sites have been abuzz with claims of Castro's demise. | Twitter and other social media sites have been abuzz with claims of Castro's demise. |
| On Sunday, a visiting former Venezuelan vice-president released a photograph of a meeting he said he had the previous day with Castro, and a hotel manager also present for part of the meeting claimed Castro's health was "magnificent". | On Sunday, a visiting former Venezuelan vice-president released a photograph of a meeting he said he had the previous day with Castro, and a hotel manager also present for part of the meeting claimed Castro's health was "magnificent". |
| In Monday's article, Castro says he had been dealing with disinformation about Cuba since the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. He criticised western media he said were in the pocket of the rich, and singled out Spain's ABC newspaper for publishing comments by a Venezuelan doctor who claimed to have information that Castro had suffered a stroke and had only weeks to live. | In Monday's article, Castro says he had been dealing with disinformation about Cuba since the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. He criticised western media he said were in the pocket of the rich, and singled out Spain's ABC newspaper for publishing comments by a Venezuelan doctor who claimed to have information that Castro had suffered a stroke and had only weeks to live. |
| Castro has been out of the public eye since March, when he received the pope. He also stopped writing his regular opinion pieces, called Reflections, the last of which was published in June. | Castro has been out of the public eye since March, when he received the pope. He also stopped writing his regular opinion pieces, called Reflections, the last of which was published in June. |
| Former Venezuelan vice-president Elias Jaua said he met Castro for five hours and showed AP photos of the encounter, quashing rumours of ill health. | Former Venezuelan vice-president Elias Jaua said he met Castro for five hours and showed AP photos of the encounter, quashing rumours of ill health. |
| Jaua also confirmed Castro personally accompanied him to the Hotel Nacional after their encounter on Saturday, in which they talked about politics, history, culture and tourism. | Jaua also confirmed Castro personally accompanied him to the Hotel Nacional after their encounter on Saturday, in which they talked about politics, history, culture and tourism. |
| "He had the courtesy of bringing me to the hotel," Jaua said Sunday, adding that Castro looked "very well". | "He had the courtesy of bringing me to the hotel," Jaua said Sunday, adding that Castro looked "very well". |
| In the article on Monday, Castro explains that he chose to stop the opinion pieces of his own accord, not because he was too sick to continue them. | In the article on Monday, Castro explains that he chose to stop the opinion pieces of his own accord, not because he was too sick to continue them. |
| "I stopped publishing Reflections because it was really not my role to take up pages in our press which are needed for other work the country requires," he wrote. | "I stopped publishing Reflections because it was really not my role to take up pages in our press which are needed for other work the country requires," he wrote. |
| Castro stepped down in 2006 following illness, handing power to his brother, Raúl. | Castro stepped down in 2006 following illness, handing power to his brother, Raúl. |
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