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Bolivian
President Morales visits Cuba
By Anita Snow, Associated
Press Writer, June 7, 2007.
HAVANA - Bolivian President Evo Morales
met Thursday with Cuba's interim leader
Raul Castro and other top officials in an
unannounced visit. It was unclear if Morales
would meet with Fidel Castro, still sidelined
by serious illness.
Photographs distributed by Morales' office
showed the leader meeting with Fidel Castro's
brother Raul, the 76-year-old defense minister,
after his morning arrival. The images also
showed Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque
and Vice President and Secretary General
Carlos Lage, who Cuban state media said
greeted Morales at the airport.
International reporters were not given
access to Morales' arrival or meetings.
A brief story in the Communist Party daily
Granma announcing the visit did not say
whether Morales would meet with the 80-year-old
Fidel Castro, his friend and ally. Castro
has not appeared in public for more than
10 months while recovering from intestinal
surgeries.
Since his illness, Castro has been seen
only in still photographs and videotapes
released by the government.
Granma said the visit "constitutes
a new demonstration of the solid ties of
friendship and solidarity that unite our
people and governments."
Castro announced on July 31 he was temporarily
stepping aside following surgery and handing
power to his brother Raul.
Senior officials have repeatedly said Castro
is on the mend, although he recently acknowledged
that his recovery has been delayed because
one of his first operations did not go well.
The bearded revolutionary has been more
active of late, writing more than a dozen
essays on international issues and appearing
in a 50-minute taped interview on state
TV on Tuesday.
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