| Cuban officials are assuring the world that | | | | to work for democratic change. In a message |
| President Fidel Castro is recovering from | | | | broadcast Friday on the U.S.-backed Radio and |
| surgery, amid speculation that his health is | | | | TV Marti, Rice also encouraged Havana to |
| poor. | | | | release its imprisoned dissidents. |
| | | | |
| The head of Cuba's National Assembly said in | | | | A Brazilian newspaper printed a story |
| an interview broadcast on Saturday that Mr. | | | | Saturday that said Cuban authorities have |
| Castro is recovering well from a procedure on | | | | told members of Brazil's government that Mr. |
| Monday to stop intestinal bleeding. | | | | Castro has a tumor in his abdomen. |
| | | | |
| Cuba's minister of health said in an | | | | Cuban exiles in the United States are pushing |
| interview Friday that Mr. Castro is | | | | for political change on the island, and some |
| recovering satisfactorily and will be back in | | | | celebrated news of Mr. Castro's ill health. |
| power soon. | | | | Mr. Castro's sister calls such celebrations |
| | | | unseemly. She lives in Miami, Florida and has |
| The president's brother, Raul Castro, | | | | been estranged from her brother for many |
| temporarily assumed presidential duties this | | | | years. |
| week. He has not been seen in public since | | | | |
| the handover was announced. | | | | Havana has expressed fear that the United |
| | | | States may try to invade Cuba while Mr. |
| President Bush and Secretary of State | | | | Castro is ill. A White House spokesman called |
| Condoleezza Rice called this week for Cubans | | | | such an idea "absurd. |