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