Ailing Fidel Castro Yields Power Temporarily
01 August 2006
Cuba's President Fidel Castro has fallen ill and handed power to his brother, but the Cuban government says he is only stepping aside temporarily.
Mr. Castro's spokesman read a statement Monday, saying the president was undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding caused by stress. The statement said he is expected to recover within several weeks.
Until then, Raul Castro will assume presidential powers and lead Cuba's Communist Party. It is the first time the elder Castro is known to have relinquished power during his nearly five-decade rule.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a close ally of the Cuban leader, wished his friend a fast recovery Tuesday. Mr. Chavez was visiting Vietnam.
But in Miami, Florida, Cuban exiles are celebrating the news of Mr. Castro's illness, dancing in the streets of the city's Little Havana neighborhood.
Fidel Castro is 79 years old and has appeared increasingly frail in recent years. There have been consistent rumors that he has Parkinson's disease.
President Bush approved an $80 million program earlier this year aimed at fostering democratic change in Cuba. His administration has also pledged support for any post-Castro Cuban government that promises free elections and an end to repression.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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