Castro confirms willingness to talk with America

Interim President Raul Castro told tens of thousands celebrating Cuba’s revolution yesterday that the nation suffered a serious blow when his brother Fidel fell ill a year ago, but the chaos the United States had long predicted never materialised.

Cuba’s 76-year-old acting president and defence minister took his brother’s place at Revolution Day festivities in Camaguey, a provincial capital of narrow colonial streets southeast of Havana.

“We could hardly have suspected what a hard blow was awaiting us,” the younger Castro said of Fidel’s illness.

“These have truly been difficult moments, although with a diametrically different impact than that expected by our enemies, who wished for chaos to take hold and for Cuban socialism to collapse.”

The one-hour speech came exactly a year after Fidel’s last public appearances, when he celebrated the Revolution Day anniversary with his customary speeches in the eastern cities of Bayamo and Holguin.

After 12 months at the helm, Raul’s provisional leadership gained even further airs of permanence as he delivered the keynote address for the island’s top holiday.

Fidel, who turns 81 next month, has for decades given speeches lasting hours to mark the day.

But he apparently has been too sick to appear in person after announcing on July 31, 2006, that emergency intestinal surgery was forcing him to step aside in favour of Raul.

He has begun penning essays dubbed Reflections of the Commander in Chief every few days, but appears to be in little hurry to return to power.

Raul Castro is seen as a pragmatist, willing to discuss improving relations with Washington, whose 45-year embargo prohibits US tourists from visiting and chokes off almost all trade between the countries.

Yesterday, he again signalled his openness to talks with American officials, but clarified this by saying the next US administration after the 2008 election must “desist from their arrogance and decide to converse in a civilised manner as a welcome change”.