f you find yourself confused about
the reports and contradictions of the last few
weeks regarding the health of Cuban President
Fidel Castro, don't feel bad - you are not
alone. Even professionals of the press and
intelligence agencies of the most important
nations that follow the Cuban case show signs of
confusion. In this game of international
intrigue, there are so many working at the same
time that it is difficult to be precise about
what is taking place. In the paragraphs that
follow I will attempt to elaborate on and to
clarify the issue.
I will try to explain the events in an orderly way. My point
of departure is based on two indisputable facts.
First, Castro has suffered repeated episodes of
cerebral ischemia since 1989. Second, he was
operated on in Cairo in 1990 by Professor Ahmed
Shafik, who I interviewed by telephone at the
beginning of July. When I presented to Professor
Shafik proof from Cuban sources that he had
performed the operation on Castro in Cairo, he
admitted to me that this was true. When I said
that my Cuban sources reported that he had
traveled to Cuba on different occasions, he
confirmed that he had been to Cuba five times
since the operation. Professor Shafik declined
to comment about the nature of the operation and
its prognosis. We have in our files proof of
this interview. The interview record is also in
some news centers of the United States. Cuban
and foreign sources revealed that Cuban and
Egyptian pathologists agreed on the diagnosis:
cancer of the rectum. The loss of weight of
Fidel Castro estimated at 50 pounds in one year
has caused great alarm among the closest
collaborators of the Cuban leader.
Fidel Castro publicly denied two weeks ago that he suffered
from a cerebral condition, but he did not answer
anything related to the surgery I reported. I
will begin with the part related to the
cardiovascular condition that affects Castro,
giving dates, places and witnesses.
KNOWN CHRONOLOGY OF HIS CEREBRAL ILLNESS
1979-1981The first known comment that Castro suffered a
serious health problem came from two sources:
Colonel Antonio De La Guardia Font and General
Abelardo Colome Ibarra. According to De La
Guarda, who died before a firing squad in 1989,
he was fishing with Castro under water when
Castro had a respiratory problem due to
underwater pressure. The result was serious
damage to Castro's lungs. This story of Castro's
pulmonary problems starting from the fishing
accident seems to be a common view held by other
persons close the President. Colome Ibarra
reported a similar version of the story,
different in only a few details. In addition, in
1981, it was communicated to all persons that
were to meet Castro personally that they should
abstain from smoking in the room when he was
present. At the same time, Castro aides
maintained the air conditioning at a
predetermined low temperature.
Castro began to wear a thick "thermal" military jacket at all
times. According to general Colome Ibarra,
Castro had to maintain a constant body
temperature. Doctors with whom I have consulted
regarding this matter, vary widely in their
interpretation of this news about the jacket. I
cannot say with precision why he is using it
(even today). However, several persons have
confirmed to me the strict prohibition on
smoking in the presence of or in proximity to
Castro. (1)
July 1989General Arnaldo T. Ochoa Sanchez was executed by a
firing squad on July 13. Physicians who attended
Castro during Ochoa's court martial advised
Castro to take medicines against hypertension
combined with tranquilizers. These doctors noted
an alarming high blood pressure and Castro
suffered a temporary paralysis in the days of
the court martial of general Ochoa. At the
beginning, this was diagnosed as a minor stroke
but later was classified as a temporary ischemic
attack. Castro responded to the medical
treatment, but he showed unmistakable symptoms
of cardiovascular problems. At this time Raul
Castro, Fidel's brother, showed symptoms of
depression. (Understandable, since both Castro
brothers were longtime friends of Ochoa Sanchez)
Doctors who attended Raul warned him that
antidepressants and alcohol were a dangerous
mixture. During Ochoa's court martial, Raul's
speech to the court was incoherent and caused
many generals of the tribunal to remark openly
among themselves that Raul was under the
influence of alcohol. On the other hand, other
sources have explained to me that Raul's erratic
behavior was motivated by stress and the
influence of the antidepressants.
Spring 1990In the spring of 1990, Castro traveled secretly to
Cairo, where he was operated on for a malignant
tumor in the colon-rectal area. The surgery took
place at Cairo University Hospital. The surgeon
who operated on Castro was professor Ahmed
Shafik. A world-known surgeon, specializing,
inter alia, in gastrointestinal ailments. The
surgical procedure lasted for about three hours.
The secret travel of Castro was made with the
cooperation of the Egyptian government. In
anticipation of Castro's arrival, Egyptian
authorities sealed a wing of the hospital where
only medical personnel, previously approved and
sworn to secrecy, had access. Professor Shafik
performed the surgery under the constant watch
of the doctors who had accompanied Castro to
Cairo. This news story was published in this
medium on July 12, 1998.
March
1993Epidemic of polineuritis in Cuba.
In a meeting of senior officials of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP)
in Havana Castro heatedly blamed Dr. Hector
Terry, a black physician, Vice Minister of
Hygiene and Epidemiology, for the lack of public
hygiene, and removed him from his post. Dr.
Terry's response was that the origins of the
epidemic were not related to hygiene, but to the
poor nutrition of the Cuban population. This
unexpected answer angered Castro to such an
extent that he lost muscular-facial tone and he
could not talk for several minutes. Castro was
pale, and left the room with hesitant steps as
soon as he recovered, aided by his assistants.
Castro did not attend three additional meetings
that had been scheduled to address this issue of
national importance. Dr. Terry, who resided in
the Avenues of Tulipan and Rancho Boyeros, was
transferred to an obscure position in the
eastern part of the island. He is in that
position today. Months ago, Dr. Terry suffered
the loss of a son. A person who knows this
doctor intimately refers to him as a great
person: "a piece of bread."
Summer, 1993Castro visited Varadero Beach, the famous resort
town on the north shore of Cuba, for the
inauguration of a hotel financed by the Spanish
enterprise Guitart. It was a brief courtesy
visit. In the entrance to the hotel, Castro was
speaking to journalists and visitors when he
suffered an episode similar to the one described
above at the MINSAP.This time, Castro bodyguards
ordered the people in the lobby of the hotel to
clear the area. Castro was seated for 15 minutes
until he was helped to his car. There are people
in Spain who can corroborate this incident.
Tuesday, April 12, 1994Agents of Cuban State Security in charge of
protection of "the Castro family" communicated
to Lidia Castro, Fidel's half-sister and a
resident of the Casino Deportivo neighborhood,
that her brother was feeling better after "last
night's sickness." They advised her to wait for
more news, and to remain at home. Lidia, alarmed
at this news, communicated with relatives and
friends. One of Castro's nieces, with a
knowledge of medicine, explained to Lidia in
order to calm her that it was some kind of "sirimba"
a popular Cuban word used to describe an unknown
condition that affects or incapacitates a person
for a short time. She said, in order to play
down the importance of the news: "it was nothing
grave, but it indicates that he should not work
so long and so hard." Lidia communicated this to
her intimate circle.
Friday, April 15, 1994A doctor on the staff of the Calixto Garcia
Hospital, whose first name is Julio, who lives
or lived in 68th Street between 13th and 15th
streets in the Havana subdivision of Playa,
commented to nurses close to him that the
surgeon, Eugenio Selman Hussein-Abdo (Castro's
personal physician) was "unavailable" because
Castro was very ill.
Saturday, 16 April, 1994A Lieutenant Colonel, whose last name is
Izquierdo, a member of Castro 's security staff,
commented to a General who inquired about a
rumor "among people close to Dr. Jose Ramon
Machado Ventura ("Machadito"), that something
was wrong with the "Comandante." Izquierdo
answered "the man cannot walk, by orders of his
doctor Selman Hussein, something in the brain,
but in a few days he will be fine." (3)
Saturday, 23 April, 1994In the last week of the month of April, the
President of Zambia, Frederick J.T. Chiluba,
arrived on a state visit. There were comments
among the African visitors that Castro was
showing a partial paralysis of the face, that
his walk was unsteady and that he was speaking
with difficulty, (4)
1995-1998The health of Castro has been the subject of constant
preoccupation among his intimates. He has been
secluded from time to time in one of his many
residences, mainly that at 160th Street, known
as El Laguito, on the outskirts of Havana. This
residential complex includes a private hospital.
In addition, Castro has been admitted several
times to the Center for Investigation and
Medical Surgery (CIMEQ). There also is an
emergency room on the fourth floor of the
presidential palace.
FIDEL
CASTRO'S DOCTORS
Castro recently denied news reports related to
his health in response to the statements from
the "impostor" Elizabel Trujillo Izquierdo, in
Costa Rica this past July. (The issue revolves
around Izquierdo's unverifiable medical
credentials.) Nevertheless, some of her
statements are not totally false. Her allegation
that Castro was admitted several times to the
CIMEQ hospital in 1997 has been reported by
other sources. The dates she cited are not
precise, but I could confirm the veracity of
some aspects of her story. However, due to the
doubts raised by her contradictions, I am forced
to elaborate about the doctors who attended
Castro or have been consulted about his
condition.
Chief physician: Eugenio Selman Hussein-Abdo, surgeon and
confidant. Consulting physicians: Rodrigo
Alvarez Cambra (Quico), Director of the Frank
Pais Hospital. Julio Martinez Paez (Lulu),
Director of the Fructuoso Rodriguez Hospital.
Tania Fraga Castro (Niece of Castro); Jose M.
Miyar Barruecos (Chomy), doctor and private
secretary; Noel Gonzales, cardiovascular surgeon
at the Hermanos Almejeira Hospital; Hernandez
Cayero, specialist in vascular diseases.
Let us explain somewhat about Dr. Alvarez Cambra. This
physician, according to Cuban, US, French, Iraqi
and Israeli sources, is a brilliant surgeon. He
specializes in orthopedics and trauma. At the
same time, he is considered well-versed on
French language and culture. He is an expert in
Arab politics, and is the president of the
Cuban-Arab Friendship Society. Dr. Alvarez
Cambra, according to Cuban sources operated on
Saddam Hussein at some time during the 1980's.
Later, one of Saddam Hussein's sons was
seriously wounded in an attempted assassination.
This doctor is considered the son's "savior" for
his work on the case.
Alvarez Cambra was close to Hussein in his various hiding places
during the Gulf War. After the conflict ended,
invading forces found the corpses of many Cuban
soldiers and doctors, according to Israeli
sources. Alvarez Cambra is married to a European
woman, and has a son of the same name and
profession. He has a nurse and confidant named
Esperanza. At one time, his companion, assistant
and bodyguard named Jose Antonio Fernandez (or
Alvarez). Among the medical positions held by
Dr. Alvarez Cambra has been the Director of the
Frank Pais Hospital, in the city of Marianao, in
the province of Havana.
The gratitude of Saddam Hussein can be seen in Alvarez Cambra's
luxurious residence, located on 20th Street in
the Miramar section of Havana, and two black
Mercedes 500 cars. Visitors to the doctor's
house, refer to it as an extremely luxurious
residence, possibly valued in millions of
dollars. Saddam Hussein also has extended his
gratitude to Castro, giving the Cuban leader
hundreds of carpets that were used in the
meetings of the Cuban Communist party in 1995
and in October 1997. Some of these carpets were
distributed among the Cuban "nomenclatura."
The activities of Dr. Alvarez Cambra are not limited to the field
of medicine. He leads a double life, since he
works also in the field of "intelligence." He
tried to obtain oil from Iraq, but his plans
were disrupted by the Gulf War. However, he was
able obtain millions of dollars from the Libyan
leader Muamar Qadafi in return for the training
and "protection" of Libyan agents in Europe and
Latin America. Also, Alvarez Cambra moved
throughout Europe with the aid of Communist and
French Socialists to accomplish his missions.
Alvarez Cambra, I have been informed is 63 years
old.
This doctor is one of the most influential persons in the intimate
circle of Fidel Castro, and director of "the
Arab connection." In Cuba, a wide range of
radical agents live, train and operate;
Algerians, Syrians, Iraqi's, Iranians,
Jordanians, Lebanese, Libyans, Palestinians,
Saudis and Yemenites. At this time, "the Arab
connection" is one of the most secret,
sophisticated and important operations of the
Cuban intelligence services. Also, the most
risky, in current conditions.
The recent terrorist attacks against American embassies in Africa,
the great numbers of extremists of the "Arab
connection" residing in Cuba, all manipulated by
this nation in foreign territory, contribute to
the possibility that Cuba is being seen by some
groups in Washington as at least having some
knowledge of the incidents. However, even though
the possibility exists of indirect involvement,
the probability is that Castro is not involved.
Castro has a consistent history of "wars of liberation" in foreign
countries, but he has always maintained a
prudent distance from terrorist groups. The Arab
connections of Castro today are motivated mainly
by economic factors, not by ideology or
strategy. Castro, at this time, has a tacit
agreement with Washington to limit himself to
his internal problems, and to prepare as best he
can to ensure the "achievements" of his
revolution after his death. Castro, according to
well-informed people, has so many internal
problems that he would not open another issue.
Part of this "tacit" agreement between Havana and Washington
consists of a gradual approach to the United
States. Actually, Cuban intelligence services
are cooperating with Washington in narcotraffic
issues and other matters. Periodically, Cuban
and American representatives exchange
impressions in Washington Havana and New York,
with the aim to avoid "surprises" or
"provocations" that alter the agreements of
these two nations. The main Cuban exile
organizations are aware of the existence of this
understanding. Even though the "Arab connection"
exists, it does not mix into such sensitive
issues such as worldwide terrorism.
Significantly, in my reporting about the health of Castro, the
United States has not cooperated with me on this
issue, which makes me think that the US does not
want to alter the existing status quo. To
insinuate or to say that Cuba might be involved
in what happened in Kenya and Tanzania is
irresponsible and lacking a solid foundation,
unless the opposite could be proven.
NOTES
Colonel Antonio De La Guardia Font visited the US several times
since 1975. He traveled mostly in the states of
New York, New Jersey and Florida. He met with
Cuban exiles with the knowledge of the
counterespionage service of the United States.
Persons I have interviewed inform me that during
his court martial he (along with the rest of the
conspirators) was charged, among other things,
with cooperating with intelligence agencies of
the United States. Some high-ranking Cuban
defectors have confirmed that they heard a story
that matches De La Guardia's story of the
underwater fishing accident. They also confirmed
the nonsmoking prohibition near Castro. However,
no one has been able to explain convincingly the
issue of Castro's thick thermal jacket.
For a long time, a rumor has circulated in high Cuban
governmental circles that Raul Castro consumed
alcoholic beverages (vodka) in excess in the
company of intimate friends: Julian T. Rizo,
Jorge Risquet, Guillermo Garcia and Dermidio
Escalona. Usually, they travel together to a
farm in the city of Managua to watch the
cockfights. It is known that Raul suffers from
chronic depression, and his fluctuating
emotional state could be attributed to his
alcohol consumption combined with whatever
medication he may be taking. Raul is regarded as
an excellent father, brother and uncle who
enjoys family life. He is the real bonding agent
that keeps the entire Castro clan together.
Among the security personnel assigned to the Castro family,
there is more than one staff member with the
family name Izquierdo. The only person with the
rank of Colonel is named Eduardo Beltran
Izquierdo. He is described as a serious person
with a high reputation among military men.
At the University of Zambia, in Lusaka, these comments about
Castro's health surfaced again in April 1998
during the visit of a member of the Cuban
parliament named Luis Abreu Mejias. A person
close to President Frederick Chiluba who teaches
at the University joked and spoke openly about
"the poor health of the Cubans," when it was
announced that the person who was supposed to
accompany Abreu Mejias had returned to Havana
due to a sudden illness.
