Out of Hiding

Fidel Castro Appears on Cuban TV

A rare sight since his 2006 surgery.

First came the photos of former Cuban President Fidel Castro greeting workers at a science facility in Havana, which were posted on a pro-government blog on Saturday. Now there’s this: On Monday, in a much-publicized television appearance on the daily Cuban talk show Mesa Redonda—all the more rare since Castro underwent intestinal surgery in 2006—the 83-year-old revolutionary talked about foreign politics, singling out Iran as "the most serious crisis," and also addressing the North and South Korean conflict. Castro, having largely stayed out of the public eye since ceding power to his younger brother Raul, appears to be making a media resurgence. Public appearances, especially this interview, may suggest a more pronounced role for the dictator, who still remains head of Cuba’s Communist Party.