New photo shows Fidel Castro in better health

New photo shows Fidel Castro in better health Havana - Cuba displayed what it said is a recent photo of Fidel Castro, Cuba's retired revolutionary ruler who formally gave up power last year and turned 83 Thursday.

In the photo released late Wednesday, Castro appeared to be in better health than in images taken in the past three years since he stepped aside from the presidency because of illness.

The photograph is part of a Havana exhibit on Castro mounted for his birthday and was taken this summer by Castro's son Alex, who is a professional photographer.

It shows the revolutionary leader with a cropped beard and wearing a blue baseball cap and white jersey.

Castro, who ruled the Caribbean island for nearly half a century with an iron grip, has not been seen in public for three years since he had to undergo emergency intestinal surgery for an undisclosed ailment.

Castro photos from the beginning of the year showed a gaunt figure as he met with Argentine President Cristina Kirchner and with Manuel Zelaya, the ousted Honduran president.

Although Castro no longer leads Cuba, which he ruled for 47 years after heading the 1959 Cuban Revolution, he continues to engage frequently in political debate through regular opinion pieces he writes for state media, and he often receives visiting foreign dignitaries.

On Thursday, a new such piece was published under Castro's name, and he contradicts US President Barack Obama's comments that the global financial and economic crisis is losing steam.

"Some say that the economic crisis is the end of imperialism," Castro wrote. "Perhaps we should ask ourselves whether it does not mean something worse for our our species."

"In my opinion, the best thing will always be to have a just cause to defend and the hope to keep moving forward," he resolved.

At the opening of the exhibit of 83 photos on the life of Castro, Cuban National Assembly Speaker Ricardo Alarcon noted that it is "impossible" for a single show to cover the full life of Fidel Castro.

"All the people of Cuba should consider themselves proud that their nation produced such a person," Alarcon said.

Large celebrations for Castro's birthday were not planned, but a book was released at the weekend that contains excerpts from what are considered Castro's most important discourses.(dpa)