Icon of Cuban Revolution will never make a public appearance again

The icon of the Cuban Revolution and the former leader of the Island of Freedom, Fidel Castro, will never make a public appearance again, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez said in a televised address. Chavez did not mention anything regarding Castro’s state of health, but said that the legendary revolutionary would “live forever, beyond the physical life.”

Photo: Icon of Cuban Revolution will never make a public appearance again

Fidel Castro has not appeared in public since July 2006, after he had an intestinal surgery. His most recent photos were taken in November, after his meeting with Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev and China ’s Hu Jintao, The Daily Telegraph wrote.

Fidel is 82 years old now. He stepped down from the post of the Cuban leader in February 2008 and was replaced by his younger brother, Raul Castro. Fidel’s whereabouts are a secret. He most likely suffers from an illness, but there is no official information to confirm the rumors.

Fidel Castro acknowledged a year ago that his health condition could not let him appear in public. “I t would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer,” he said a month later in a statement.

It is worthy of note that Comandante did not participate in the recent celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Raul Castro appeared in front of the residents of Santiago de Cuba instead.

Nevertheless, the Cuban press continues to publish articles and notes signed by Fidel Castro. In one of his recent articles, for example, he set out his readiness to conduct negotiations with the new US administration. The United States declared a blockade on Cuba after the revolution, which caused a 93-billion-dollar damage to the local economy.

Source: agencies