By George Gedda. .c The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, 7 (AP) - The State Department is wondering about the psychological toll on Cuban President Fidel Castro of his 41 years as the uncontested ruler of Cuba.

Officials said Monday the department asked the CIA last fall to undertake a psychological evaluation of the Cuban leader. The analysis has yet to be completed.

The officials, asking not to be identified, said it is normal for profiles of foreign leaders to be prepared from time to time.

They also said there is curiosity among U.S. policy-makers about how the aging process affects a leader who is 73 and who has spent well over half his life in charge of his island.

Castro has been asked from time to time about the possibility of surrendering power. He once replied that revolutionaries don't resign.

The Miami Herald, which first reported the State Department request, said Saturday that it came to light after veteran CIA analyst Brian Lately, now retired, said in Miami last month that he was worried Castro seemed to be becoming more aggressive with age instead of mellowing.

The newspaper said Lately contended that other communist leaders have become more impulsive and adventuresome in their old age as a means of reuniting themselves with their ``revolutionary roots.'' He called this phenomenon ``geriatric hyperactivity.''

As examples, he noted that former Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung launched the Cultural Revolution at age 73, former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev deployed nuclear missiles in Cuba at age 68, and his successor, Leonid Brezhnev, ordered the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 at age 72.

While U.S. officials declined to be specific about Castro's behavior, several incidents last year are believed to have contributed to the decision to update his psychological profile.

One was a six-hour speech Castro gave on Cuba's national day, July 26, that was devoted almost entirely to counternarcotics issues. He followed that up days later with a seven-hour address on migration issues involving the United States.

AP-NY-03-07-00 0229EST

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.

[ BACK TO THE NEWS ]

NOTICIAS
...Prensa Independiente
...Prensa Internacional
...Prensa Gubernamental

OTHER LANGUAGES
...Spanish
...German
...French

INDEPENDIENTES
...Cooperativas Agrícolas
...Movimiento Sindical
...Bibliotecas
...MCL
...Ayuno

DEL LECTOR
...Letters
...Cartas
...Debate
...Opinión

BUSQUEDAS
...News Archive
...News Search
...Documents
...Links

CULTURA
...Painters
...Photos of Cuba
...Cigar Labels

CUBANET
...Semanario
...About Us
...Informe 1998
...E-Mail

CubaNet News, Inc.
145 Madeira Ave,
Suite 207
Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 774-1887