Greetings from one and all as Castro turns 77

With greetings from his oldest comrades in arms as well as Cuban schoolchildren, Fidel Castro marked his 77th birthday firmly in control of the only communist state in the Western Hemisphere.

No public celebrations were announced to mark the occasion yesterday.

Instead, Castro, now in power for nearly 45 years, addressed several thousand graduating doctors, nurses and other health care workers during an evening event broadcast live in state-run media.

In his one-and-a-half-hour address, Castro, in a green olive uniform, praised his nation’s medical professionals, as well as the Cuban athletes who had been successful during the current Pan American games in the Dominican Republic.