http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/world/americas/28cuba.html
Chávez Shares Some Airtime With Castro By SIMON ROMERO Published: February 28, 2007 CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb. 27 - "How are you?" President Hugo Chávez asked Tuesday in his nightly live radio program after a special guest phoned in from Havana. "Very well," replied Fidel Castro, speaking in what was believed to be his first live broadcast since relinquishing power to his brother last July. That exchange was in thickly accented but politically pointed English; then the two switched to Spanish for a chat that touched on the plunge in the Chinese stock market on Tuesday, their skepticism about using corn to produce ethanol and mockery of President Bush's coming visit to several Latin American countries. (Venezuela and Cuba are not on the itinerary.) "I feel I have more energy, more strength, more time to study," said Mr. Castro, whose voice sounded thin and frail on "Hello, President," which Venezuela hears five nights a week. "You don't know the happiness it gives us to hear your voice and to know you are well," Mr. Chávez said. "We send you a hug; we are gratefully surprised." Critics of Mr. Chávez see echoes of Mr. Castro in his efforts to consolidate his power, ruling by decree and creating a single socialist party. Mr. Castro expressed only pride in Mr. Chávez, crediting him with "raising the flag to save the species." Mr. Chávez, 52, has occasionally been seen on video with Mr. Castro, 80, since the Cuban leader's illness and seclusion began last year. But some Cuba watchers initially said they believed Mr. Castro's illness might dilute Venezuela's alliance with Cuba. However, recent developments have dispelled such speculation. Venezuela is financing the installation of fiber optic cable to improve Cuba's Internet and telecommunications systems and is planning to send 100,000 Venezuelans to Cuba on "revolutionary" tourism jaunts, in addition to maintaining shipments to Cuba of about 100,000 barrels a day of subsidized oil. Cuba, meanwhile, has sent thousands of social workers to Venezuela to install fluorescent light bulbs in homes to help conserve energy. Thousands of other Cubans are at work in Venezuela, providing subsidized medical care and advice on mining and sugar cultivation. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Great things are happening at Yahoo! Groups. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/lOt0.A/hOaOAA/yQLSAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
