Adidas

A Communist youth publication has put up photos of Fidel on their website. These are supposed to have been taken since Fidel became ill. Go over and check them out. To me the photos prove nothing. They could have been taken any time.

Two notes-

1- The mystery of where Raul Castro is remains.

2- Note the clothes Fidel is wearing. Adidas. How does a communist in a classless society get such obviously capitalist clothing?

Here is an accompanying AP article.

Linked to- Bright & Early, Cao's Blog, Basil's Blog,

Update- Welcome Captain's Quarters Readers. Fellow Florida bloggers Val, Jim and Rick are also blogging on this bit of news. Jim's blog title of his post, 'Birthday at Bernie's', cracked me up as it should you if you recall this movie.

HAVANA - On his 80th birthday, Fidel Castro cautioned Cubans on Sunday that he faced a long recovery from surgery and advised them to prepare for "adverse news," but he urged them to stay optimistic. As the Communist Youth newspaper published the first photographs of the Cuban leader since illness forced him to step aside as president two weeks ago, Castro said his health had improved, but warned that risks remain.

"I feel very happy," said a statement attributed to Castro in the Juventud Rebelde newspaper. "For all those who care about my health, I promise to fight for it."

In the photos appearing in the online edition of Juventud Rebelde, Castro wears a red and white Adidas warm-up suit, looks a bit tired but is sitting up straight, his eyes alert.

One picture is a close shot of the leader posing with his fist under his chin and in two he is talking on the telephone.

The fourth photograph shows Castro sitting in a chair in front of a bed with a white spread in what appears to be a home, holding up a special supplement published as an homage to him on his 80th birthday in the Saturday edition of Granma, the Communist Party newspaper.

It was impossible to confirm the authenticity of the photographs, which were credited to Estudios Revolucion, a division of Castro's personal support group that collects historic documents and images. But there was no reason to doubt they were real.

Juventud Rebelde also published a handwritten note by Castro to five Cuban men who were convicted of working in the United States as unregistered foreign agents and last week were denied a new trail by a federal appeals court.

"Rene, Antonio, Gerardo, Fernando, Ramon: We will triumph over the monstrous injustice!" read the note in Castro's typical scrawl. It was signed: "Fidel. August 13, 2006 12:39 a.m."

In his statement, Castro said his stability has "considerably improved" but added: "To affirm that the recovery period will take a short time and that there is no risk would be absolutely incorrect."

"I ask you all to be optimistic, and at the same time to be ready to face any adverse news," it added.

"To the people of Cuba, infinite gratitude for your loving support. The country is marching on and will continue marching on perfectly well."

On Saturday, Granma said Castro was walking and talking again, and even working a bit. It was the most optimistic report yet since intestinal surgery forced him to temporarily turn over presidential powers to his younger brother, Defense Minister Raul Castro.