Castro has malignant stomach tumor

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Cuban authorities have told the
Brazilian government that Cuban leader Fidel Castro has a malignant
stomach tumor and may be unable to return to full power, a Brazilian
newspaper reported on Saturday.

B1ackwater...

Drank the blood of too many ideological enemies I guess ...

Folha de S.Paulo said Brazilian officials had been told that Castro's
illness marked the start of an irreversible transfer of power on the
Communist-ruled island.

Folha said Cuban authorities informed Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva and members of the ruling Workers' Party about the
malignant stomach tumor this week. His condition was worse than has
been publicly admitted, according to Folha.

"It looks like we will lose our friend," it quoted Lula as telling an
aide.

It gave no source but the report was written by a respected
journalist. Brazilian officials could not immediately be reached for
comment.

Castro, 79, relinquished power temporarily last Monday to his younger
brother, Raul, after intestinal surgery.

Agent Smith...

What amazes me about this is that Castro has given the presidency to
another geezer. This all makes me think of the continual transfers of
power among the Societ gerontocracy after Brezhnev died, until a younger
guy came along and took the place apart.

We'll probably get less than five years out of Raul, before he's
incapacitated and hands over power to another fossil.

Few details of his state of health have emerged, triggering
uncertainty about Cuba's future and speculation that his 47-year-old
rule over Cuba could be drawing to a close.

Cuban Cabinet ministers have said the Fidel Castro was recovering.

But Folha said the Brazilian authorities had been informed that even
if Castro recovered, he might not be able to assume full power again.

Lula had instructed his team to be discreet, it said. He told friends
Castro was a strong man who has been a friend in "difficult hours." He
hoped for his recovery.

The two men are old friends and the Workers' Party has longstanding
ties to Cuba, although Lula has moved the party away from its leftist
roots and toward the political center.

Lula has visited Cuba several times, most recently as president in
2003.