Raul Castro Reappears, Rumors Nixed
HAVANA TIMES – Raul Castro reappeared Monday with Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg, who makes an official visit to Cuba.
The news emerges after reports circulated by dissident sources – amplified in social networks and media abroad – alleged that Castro, 86, was in dire condition. [For decades Miami based sources used to circulate false information about the death or illness of Fidel Castro. Now it appears to be his brother’s turn.]
“Raul Castro Ruz is permanently hospitalized in an intensive care unit under the Plaza de la Revolution, in Havana,” the opposition sociologist Guillermo Fariñas wrote on Twitter, adding that the president “presents a picture of hepatic, neurological and cardiac disorders, and is being attended by renowned doctors.”
A brief official note in the official press said that Castro and the European visitor spoke about “the positive relations between Luxembourg and Cuba” and agreed on a desire to promote areas of common interest while also discussing international topics.
Although it wasn’t stated, everything indicates that the meeting took place in the Palace of the Revolution in Havana.
The information of the meeting, which also had the participation of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, was accompanied by a photo of Raul Castro dressed in a white guayabera, next to the Luxembourg foreign minister.
Third visit to Cuba
Before meeting with Castro, Asselborn held a meeting with Rodriguez at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and visited the headquarters of the National Assembly of People’s Power, where he was received by Ana Maria Mari Machado, vice-president of that parliamentary body.
Mari Machado received Asselborn on behalf of Esteban Lazo, president of the Cuban Parliament, who is currently visiting Vietnam.
Asselborn recalled that in 2011 he made his first official visit to Cuba and at the end of last year returned to participate in the funeral of Fidel Castro.
An official report indicates that the Luxembourg minister referred to the difficult world context and mentioned the rise to the US presidency of Donald Trump, Brexit in Europe, and the complex situation in Africa and the Gulf countries.
When Rich Haney I responded two days ago to Moses Patterson about Luxembourg having the highest GDP per head of any country in the world, I did not have to depend upon Google. But its good to see you trying to catch up.
Having personal knowledge of that country, I can reassure you that it is thoroughly capitalist and that its people are happy campers – unlike Cuba!
You introduced fake news and that it “has been around long before Trump”. You were correct as I demonstrated.
off topic
Perhaps, Moses, your anti-Cuban zealotry adversely affects your anti-Cuban propaganda. You should at least Google more instead of assuming whatever you propagandize is to be believed. I Google and thus believe that Luxembourg, which does not face an embargo by a superpower, has the highest GDP in the world, making it the richest nation per capital.
Communism has a long history of disinformation and double-think unequallled by capitalist countries.
Under Communism everything is controlled and no dissent is permitted, no one can express different views. The problem that the liberty and freedom of capitalist countries permits, is that a variety of information and opinion is permitted.
So in Cuba, there is only one source of ‘news’ and that is the Communist Party of Cuba under the direction of Raul Castro Ruz. Whatever Raul says is ‘truth’. Nobody can correct him.
The Communist USSR denounced those who accused it of the massacre of 15,000 Polish military officers and bureaucrats at Katyn as ‘fake news’. It took forty years for the Russians to admit tthe truth.
One only has to look briefly at agriculture in Cuba, to know that the annual claims of increases in production are ‘fake news’. Similarly ridiculous claims that 95% – or even 100% of Cubans support the Castro regime and Communism are ‘fake news’ -but Cubans have no means of denying it, for there is no free media, only that controlled by the PCC.
There are dissidents and dissidents. The Miami crew spread stores about the billions the Castros have stowed away and constant reports of their imminent death. Guess fake news has been around long before Trump!
Actually Moses Luxembourg has the highest GDP per head in the world at well over $100,000.
Way back in 1964, I had the pleasure of spending three days with the Directors of an Austrian company owned by the Henckel Von Donnersmark family. One of the outstanding memories is of the young Count, consuming two dozen oysters as a ‘starter’ at Bentley’s in Swallow Street – London’s leading sea food restaurant. He married the heiress to the Principality of Luxembourg.
No doubt the Castro regime had out the begging bowl!
Luxembourg met with Cuba? That’s news? The economic strength of both countries combined is like…maybe Cleveland, Ohio?