Castro lambastes US in article

HAVANA – Cuba’s convalescing leader Fidel Castro wrote a scathing article on US biofuel plans published in yesterday’s edition of state newspaper Granma, the 80-year-old revolutionary’s first editorial since his July surgery.

Government officials say Castro is recovering well from his emergency stomach operation and could soon take a more active role in government. But Castro has so far only been seen in photographs and video recordings or heard on the radio.In yesterday’s article Castro said more than three billion people in the world were condemned to die prematurely of hunger or thirst from plans by his ideological foe, the United States, to convert foodstuffs like corn into fuel for cars.”This is not an exaggerated figure, it’s more likely cautious,” Castro wrote in the ruling Communist Party’s daily newspaper.”I’ve been meditating quite a bit since President Bush’s meeting with North American automobile makers.”Castro said nothing about his state of health or whether he intends to participate more actively in the government, after handing over day-to-day power to Raul Castro eight months ago.On Wednesday, Castro’s elder brother Ramon Castro said the recovering leader was in good shape, but shed no light on whether he could soon make a live public appearance.Nampa-ReutersBut Castro has so far only been seen in photographs and video recordings or heard on the radio.In yesterday’s article Castro said more than three billion people in the world were condemned to die prematurely of hunger or thirst from plans by his ideological foe, the United States, to convert foodstuffs like corn into fuel for cars.”This is not an exaggerated figure, it’s more likely cautious,” Castro wrote in the ruling Communist Party’s daily newspaper.”I’ve been meditating quite a bit since President Bush’s meeting with North American automobile makers.”Castro said nothing about his state of health or whether he intends to participate more actively in the government, after handing over day-to-day power to Raul Castro eight months ago.On Wednesday, Castro’s elder brother Ramon Castro said the recovering leader was in good shape, but shed no light on whether he could soon make a live public appearance.Nampa-Reuters