Monday, July 31, 2006

Castro in Surgery, Passes Temporary Power to Raul

Is this why the Cuban numbers transmissions have been different lately?

The Associated Press
Monday, July 31, 2006; 10:00 PM

HAVANA -- Fidel Castro temporarily relinquished his presidential powers to his brother Monday night and told Cubans he will undergo surgery.

The Cuban leader said in a letter read live on television by his secretary that he had suffered gastrointestinal bleeding, apparently due to stress from recent public appearances in Argentina and Cuba.

Because of that illness, Castro said he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his brother and successor Raul, the defense minister, according to the statement read by Carlos Valenciaga.