Imagen vía Reuters
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro recently made his first public appearance in more than a year during an event greeting visitors from Venezuela, according to Cuban state media.CubaDebate, a state media outlet, published photos Saturday of the 88-year-old former leader shaking hands with members of a crowd in Havana. The encounter took place March 30, according to CubaDebate, but it was unclear why the pictures were not published until nearly a week after.The pictures show a bearded Castro wearing a baseball cap and athletic jacket leaning out of a window of a car to shake hands with members of a crowd outside of an athletic complex. CubaDebate said the meeting was a "chance encounter," and that, contrary to rumors of his ailing health, "Fidel is full of vitality."Related: Cuba's human rights record is a sticking point in efforts to normalize relations with the EU Castro spoke to the crowd on topics of youth employment, agriculture, and the political situation in Venezuela after the death of former President Hugo Chavez, said CubaDebate.This is the first time Castro has been spotted in public since January 2014, when he attended a public art event, and the first time since US-Cuba relations were normalized last December.Castro stepped down from the presidency in 2006 due to his health, although his exact illness has never been specified. Castro's health has long been shrouded in mystery, and his disappearance from public view has frequently sparked rumors that he had died.Castro discussed his health in a rare 2010 interview, saying, "I was at death's door, but I came back."His brother, Raul Castro, formally took over the position of president in 2008.Follow Olivia Becker on Twitter: @obecker928
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