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Fidel Castro Appears in Cuban Parliament for First Time in Years

   VOA News 07 August 2010
   Fidel  Castro  speaks  at  a  special session of parliament, his first
   official  government appearance in front of lawmakers in four years in
   Havana, Cuba, 07 Aug 2010

Photo: AP

   Fidel  Castro  speaks  at  a  special session of parliament, his first
   official  government appearance in front of lawmakers in four years in
   Havana, Cuba, 07 Aug 2010

   Former  Cuban president Fidel Castro has appeared at a special session
   of  parliament  for  the first time since 2006, when he ceded power to
   his younger brother, Raul.
   Cheering  legislators  gave  the elder Castro a standing ovation as he
   entered  the  legislative  chamber  in  an  event  broadcast  on Cuban
   television  Saturday.  The 83-year-old former president was wearing an
   olive-green military style shirt and waved to the crowd.
   Mr.  Castro  spoke  about  the international situation and how growing
   tensions between the United States and Iran could lead to nuclear war.
   Mr.  Castro  turns 84 later this month, and has recently increased his
   public  appearances  following  a  long period of seclusion, resulting
   from an illness suffered in 2006.
   Fidel  Castro  underwent  intestinal surgery that year and turned over
   power  on a provisional basis to his brother, who formally assumed the
   presidency in February 2008.

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