Fidel Castro makes rare public appearance at Havana school

World Today

Cuba’s former leader, Fidel Castro, who turns 90 in August, made a rare public appearance.

This is the first time Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro has been seen in public in almost nine months.

It comes just a week before the seventh Communist Party Congress, which is due to debate further changes to the Soviet style economic model Castro created.

CCTV America’s Michael Voss reports.

Castro left power 10 years ago due to ill-health. His voice may be hoarse, but he still likes to talk.

He told the children how proud he was to visit the school. Free education, along with healthcare, are some of his lasting legacies.

Fidel Castro’s appearance comes just two weeks after his younger brother, President Raul Castro, hosted U.S. President Barack Obama. Fidel Castro later wrote a highly critical newspaper article about the visit, calling Obama’s speeches enough to give anyone a heart attack and said Cuba doesn’t need gifts from the empire.