Via the BBC: Castro ‘to be fit to hold power’

Cuba’s ailing President Fidel Castro will be “in perfect shape” to run for re-election to parliament next year, the head of the National Assembly said.

Ricardo Alarcon said Mr Castro was focusing on recovery from surgery and would be fit to do his job.

The process of choosing candidates is due to begin in the coming months.

Correspondents say the vote is the first step for re-election for the Cuban president who is chosen by MPs rather than by the people.

The good news for Castro is that the campaigning schedule isn’t too vigorous in Cuba…

Of course, the “elections” in question won’t be until March of 2024, so it isn’t as if he’s going back to work tomorrow.

As is often the case with regimes such as this one, it is difficult to tell what is propaganda and what isn’t. In watching this whole affair, I have felt like I was back in the 80s and being told that Chernenko only has a cold.