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Fidel Castro hails brother Raúl's handshake with Barack Obama | Fidel Castro hails brother Raúl's handshake with Barack Obama |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Cuba's President Raúl Castro introduced himself to Barack Obama in English at Nelson Mandela's funeral, telling him, "Mr President, I'm Castro," as the two leaders shook hands. | Cuba's President Raúl Castro introduced himself to Barack Obama in English at Nelson Mandela's funeral, telling him, "Mr President, I'm Castro," as the two leaders shook hands. |
That's according to Castro's brother, Fidel, who broke months of silence on Thursday with a lengthy editorial in state media discussing Cuba's ties to Mandela and his brother's trip to South Africa for his funeral. | That's according to Castro's brother, Fidel, who broke months of silence on Thursday with a lengthy editorial in state media discussing Cuba's ties to Mandela and his brother's trip to South Africa for his funeral. |
The 10 December handshake set off speculation in the US and Cuba about whether it signalled a warming of ties between the two nations after decades of animosity. US and Cuban officials dismissed that, calling the handshake a mere courtesy. | The 10 December handshake set off speculation in the US and Cuba about whether it signalled a warming of ties between the two nations after decades of animosity. US and Cuban officials dismissed that, calling the handshake a mere courtesy. |
In his 2,400-word essay published on Friday on the front pages of Cuba's government-run newspapers and websites, Fidel Castro congratulated his brother for his "steadfastness and dignity", when, with a friendly but firm gesture, he greeted the head of the US government and told him in English, 'Mr. President, I'm Castro.'" | |
Castro, 87, handed over leadership of Cuba to his brother after suffering intestinal bleeding in 2006. He last wrote one of his trademark editorials and appeared in a photo in September. | Castro, 87, handed over leadership of Cuba to his brother after suffering intestinal bleeding in 2006. He last wrote one of his trademark editorials and appeared in a photo in September. |
When Mandela died and Castro failed to appear in public or write about the loss of a close ally, many inside and outside Cuba wondered if it was an indication that his health had worsened. | When Mandela died and Castro failed to appear in public or write about the loss of a close ally, many inside and outside Cuba wondered if it was an indication that his health had worsened. |
As if to dispel those thoughts, the Cuban government on Monday published a photo of a vigorous-looking Castro meeting a Spanish journalist three days earlier. | |
The journalist, Ignacio Ramonet, told Associated Press that he and Castro discussed a wide range of topics including Mandela, Venezuelan politics and climate change and "I found him to be in excellent health and in a good mood, physically, mentally and psychologically". | The journalist, Ignacio Ramonet, told Associated Press that he and Castro discussed a wide range of topics including Mandela, Venezuelan politics and climate change and "I found him to be in excellent health and in a good mood, physically, mentally and psychologically". |
Castro wrote extensively about his relationship with Mandela in the article published on Thursday, discussing Cuba's backing of Angolan fighters who battled forces supported by the pro-apartheid South African government of the 1980s. He condemned the US for supporting the opposing forces. | |
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