DISSIDENTS in Cuba’s eastern provinces say the country’s military has beefed up its presence on the streets and is telling citizens they have permission to respond with force against anyone who speaks out against the Government.

Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage sought to dispel growing speculation about Fidel Castro’s health, saying he does not have stomach cancer and is recuperating well after surgery that prompted him to step aside temporarily.

From his sickbed, Fidel Castro has set the stage for a more collective style of governance in a country long used to a single strongman, selecting six trusted comrades to run key projects while his younger brother Raul acts as president and head of the Communist Party.