Fidel Castro gravely ill after failed operations, paper says

FIDEL Castro was at the centre of conflicting reports over his state of health last night, as details of the illness that led to him relinquishing power emerged.

A report in El Pais, a respected Spanish newspaper, claimed that the Cuban dictator had been left in a serious condition following what appeared to be a failing six-month medical battle.

"A grave infection in the large intestine, at least three failed operations and various complications have left Fidel Castro, laid up with a very grave prognosis," the paper stated.

Citing sources at the Gregorio Maran Hospital in Madrid, one of whose doctors flew to Havana to examine Castro last month, El Pais alleged that the 80-year-old's problems stemmed from diverticulitis, a condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Surgeons removed part of his large intestine but a rupture caused peritonitis - a potentially critical inflammation.

He underwent a colostomy, and the infected area was cleaned and drained, but Castro "did not heal well," it is claimed. A third operation to fit an unspecified prosthesis imported from Korea also failed.

It was unclear last night whether Castro's condition has continued to worsen. The Cuban government has repeatedly claimed that Castro is recovering and, on New Year's Eve, released what they claimed was a statement by him, in which he said that the worst was behind him.

Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, the Spanish surgeon who examined Castro last month and declared that he was recovering and could yet return to government, denied yesterday that anything had changed.