Negroponte says Castro near death

December 17th, 2006

Washington, D.C. - John Negroponte says Cuban President Fidel Castro is very sick and could be very close to death.

Negroponte is the U.S. director of national intelligence and he said in a report published by The Washington Post that the US has seen indications that Mr. Castro could die within months, rather than years.

"Everything we see indicates it will not be much longer ... months, not years," Negroponte said in an interview with the Washington Post.

Castro handed power to his brother, Raul, in July so he could undergo intestinal surgery for an undisclosed illness. Raul has been running the government since and there has been no announcement as to when Castro will return to power.

Castro turned 80 in August but his birthday celebration was postponed, but the leader who has held power for 47 years also did not attend the rescheduled ceremony on December 2nd.