Castro will return to work in few weeks: Official

A surgery had forced the Cuban leader to hand over power temporarily to his younger brother.

Cuba's vice president has said Fidel Castro would make a return in a few weeks from surgery that forced him to hand over power temporarily to his younger brother.

HT Image

Carlos Lage, in Bolivia to attend the country's constitutional convention, was asked by reporters when Castro would be back at work.

"In a few weeks he'll be recovered and he'll return to his duties," he replied.

Castro's return would expose that a US Policy of "lies" was behind speculation that the Cuban leader would not recover from the operation, Lage said.

Castro announced July 31 that he was undergoing surgery for intestinal bleeding and was handing over power to his brother Defence Minister Raul Castro. Since then little information on Fidel Castro's condition has emerged.

Cubans were told most details of his health would be kept "a state secret" to prevent the island's enemies from taking advantage of his condition.

Neither Fidel nor Raul Castro have been seen in public since the announcement of the surgery and the temporary power handover.

Lage on Saturday shot down speculation that Fidel Castro had stomach cancer. On Sunday he reiterated that Cuban leader was recovering well.

"The operation that he underwent was successful and he is recovering favourably," Lage said. "Fidel's going to be around for another 80 years.