Castro back on feet after fall

Less than two months after an accidental fall shattered his left kneecap and broke his right arm, Cuban president Fidel Castro is back on his feet, attending to visiting leaders and making public appearances.

During a visit by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez this week, Castro was shown vigorously shaking hands – with his right arm – and standing unassisted for several minutes at a time.

The 78-year-old Cuban leader has not started walking, however – at least not in public.

“His ability to recover and be back in public and doing his normal daily routine is testament to his good health,” said Los Angeles-based Dr Lawrence Dorr, who has led several medical missions to Cuba to provide hip and knee replacements.

The Cuban leader made headlines when he stumbled on October 20 in the central city of Santa Clara after delivering an hour-long speech. The following day, an official notice carried by state media said Castro’s general health was good and that he hoped to be “back in place” soon.

A few weeks later, Cuban television showed Castro sitting in a wheelchair, his arm in a sling, during a surprise visit by Chavez in early November.

The Cuban leader then surprised many when he suddenly stood up from his wheelchair during a state visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao on November 23, a month after the fall. He leaned on a metal cane with an arm support while the Chinese and Cuban national anthems played.

This week, during a military ceremony attended by Chavez, Castro again popped up from his wheelchair, this time standing for several minutes with no support. Later, he stood again after signing agreements with Chavez to deepen trade relations, bracing himself on a table at first, then standing tall.

Yesterday, after being wheeled to a meeting of more than 300 Americans attending trade talks in Havana, Castro stood up to loud applause.

“He looks healthy and fine,” said Chris Aberle, of the Des Moines, Iowa company FC Stone. ”If you didn’t see him in the wheelchair, he looks identical as the first time I was in his company two years ago.”

According to Aberle, Castro had been speaking to the Americans for several hours, discussing his government’s recent decision to eliminate the circulation of the American dollar in Cuba, biotechnology and health care on the Caribbean island.