Cuba's Acting President Makes First Public Comments

古巴代理总统首次公开评论

Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro says his ailing brother, President Fidel Castro, is recovering well from surgery, and that the island nation has taken precautions to prevent aggression against the country.

Raul's comments in today's (Friday's) edition of Cuba's official newspaper are his first public statements since temporarily assuming presidential powers last month.

The younger Castro says Fidel's recovery is due to "his exceptional physical and mental nature." The defense minister says he mobilized Cuba's forces hours after his brother's illness was announced because Cuba could not, in his words, "rule out the risk of somebody going crazy" in the Bush administration.

Raul says he is not worried about international speculation over his public absence, explaining he is not used to appearing in public, except "when it is required."

古巴国防部长劳尔.卡斯特罗说，他患病的哥哥、古巴总统卡斯特罗手术后恢复良好。他还说，这个岛国已经采取了应付外来侵略的防御措施。

在星期五官方媒体上发表的劳尔的评论是自他上个月临时代理总统职务以来，第一次公开发表声明。

劳尔.卡斯特罗说，卡斯特罗的恢复是因为他有“超常的体力和意志”。这位国防部长说，在他哥哥患病的消息公布几个小时后，他就动员了古巴部队，因为用他的话说，古巴不能排除布什政府中“有人发疯的风险”。

劳尔说，他并不担心国际社会对他未在公开场合露面的揣测。他解释说，他不习惯在公共场合露面，除非是“有必要的时候”。