Castro Making 'Satisfactory' Progress

HAVANA (AP) _ Fidel Castro's eldest son and namesake said Thursday his father's comeback from intestinal surgery has been ``satisfactory'' and that he could eventually recover completely.

Thursday, February 15th 2007, 3:51 pm

By: News On 6

HAVANA (AP) _ Fidel Castro's eldest son and namesake said Thursday his father's comeback from intestinal surgery has been ``satisfactory'' and that he could eventually recover completely.

``As Raul said officially, as well as other leaders: his state of health is progressing in a satisfactory and sustained manner,'' Fidel Castro Diaz Balart told reporters.

Raul Castro, Fidel's brother and the 75-year-old defense minister, has been acting president since his 80-year-old sibling stepped aside more than six months ago to recover from the surgery.

``That's the same perception that I have,'' the 56-year-old known as ``Fidelito'' said on the sidelines of an international book fair. ``We believe that bit by bit, comrade Fidel will achieve total recovery. That's the hope of the Cuban people and the revolutionaries of the world.''

The bearded revolutionary's brothers Raul and Ramon, 82, said separately last week that Castro was recovering well. Raul added that his brother was exercising and frequently using the telephone.

Cuban officials have denied U.S. government reports that Fidel suffered from cancer. A Spanish newspaper reported last month that he had diverticular disease, a weakening of the walls of the colon.

On Jan. 30, Havana's communist government released a new video of Castro looking stronger than in previous images as he met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.