Fidel is seen on TV, talking with Chávez

Cuban television on Tuesday showed the first images of Fidel Castro in six months, broadcasting a silent video of the recovering leader chatting outdoors with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. According to an announcer, their "intense and productive" meeting was held Tuesday morning and lasted one hour and a half. Others seen were Raúl Castro and Fidel's private secretary, Carlos Valenciaga. Fidel was last seen in video and still photos when Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited him on Jan. 15. No details about Fidel's health were mentioned by the official media. Chávez returned to Caracas Tuesday afternoon. For The Herald's account of the video presentation, click here.
---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

Chávez in Cuba for a 'working visit'

President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela arrived Monday in Havana "on a working visit, with a view to strengthening the friendly relations between both nations," the official Prensa Latina agency reported. [Photo shows him being welcomed by Vice President Carlos Lage, at right.] Chávez was to meet with government officials "to analyze common projects and the international situation," the agency said. Later in the day, the Venezuelan leader had an "animated and affectionate" meeting with Fidel Castro, but no details about it -- or pictures of it -- were released. He also met with Raúl Castro. According to Cuba's National News Agency, Chávez said that he came "to explore new initiatives with [the Cuban leaders] because, as he said, every revolution is creativity." No mention was made of how long Chávez would stay in Cuba. ---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

Obama: I'll talk to Raúl, lift travel curbs

Barack Obama this week said that, if he is elected president, he "would initiate conversations with our enemies in Cuba and Venezuela" and "would cancel the travel restrictions for those who have relatives in Cuba." Interviewed by Univisión newsman Jorge Ramos, he also commented on a May 25 article by Fidel Castro that was critical of the Democratic presidential candidate. "I doubt that Fidel wrote his latest editorial. I think he's too sick to do so," Obama said. The interview was published Wednesday in the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio. Other topics:
• Hugo Chávez "is a threat, but a manageable threat. We know, for instance, that he may have been involved in support for the FARC [Colombian guerrillas], harming a neighbor. That's not the kind of neighbor we want."
• "I can guarantee an immigration reform bill during the first year" in the White House.
• "I voted for the free-trade treaty with Peru, but I will oppose the one with Colombia until I'm confident that they are not killing labor union leaders there."
• Washington should help Mexico because "more jobs over there mean fewer undocumented [migrants] who come to the United States."
To read the entire article (in Spanish only), click here.
---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

Raul Castro: Fidel and Hugo are Smarter Than Me

Ever wonder why Raul Castro's speeches are so short, especially compared to his brother and comrade in leftyism Venezuela's Hugo Chavez? 'Cuz Fidel and Hugo are smarter! So said Raul Castro in a rather hilarious phone call to Chavez' Alo Presidente show.

"Fidel is the most loyal follower of your words -- and they are not few," Raul Castro said. "Fidel hardly misses even one. No speech of mine goes longer than one hour. That's because Fidel and the president of Venezuela are smarter than me and have more things to say.

"No other reason that that."

Punto.