HAVANA - Fidel Castro appeared relaxed and lucid in his most prominent television interview in years Monday, though he spoke slowly and with a raspy voice in an appearance that thrust him back in the limelight after a long time spent out of public view.
The 83-year-old former president talked about the conflict between North and South Korea at the start of the broadcast of "Mesa Redondo" - or "Round Table" - a daily Cuban talk show on current events.
The revolutionary leader wore a dark-blue track suit top over a plaid shirt as he answered questions at a desk in a sparsely decorated office at an undisclosed location. It was not immediately clear whether the broadcast was live, but Castro referred to a July 5 article as having been published six days ago, which would mean the show was taped on Sunday.
Castro spent the early moments of the interview reading from writings by U.S. linguist Noam Chomsky and others, explaining why he thinks tension in Korea could ultimately trigger a world war. At times he showed flashes of his prowess as a powerful speaker; at others he paused for lengthy periods and read from notes.
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Castro has shunned the spotlight since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006. The illness forced him to step down - first temporarily, and later permanently - and cede power to his younger brother Raul. His recovery has been a closely held state secret, and his health has been the subject of persistent rumors among exiles in Florida.
Castro's sudden re-emergence comes after the dramatic announcement last week that Cuba will free 52 political prisoners in the next few months under a deal with the Roman Catholic Church. The former Cuban leader made no mention of the deal in the early part of his interview, focusing instead on international events.
While Cubans have become accustomed to reading Castro's writings on world affairs in the local press, he has stayed largely out of the public eye since ceding power, helping Raul Castro solidify his place as the country's leader after a lifetime spent in his more famous brother's shadow.
Cubans reacted with surprise to word of Castro's media appearance.
"I think it will have a positive effect on people," 21-year-old student David Suarez told the AP. "It will give hope that once again he will help to solve our problems."
Magaly Delgado Rojo, a 72-year-old retiree in Havana's Playa neighborhood, said the appearance must have been carefully thought out by Cuba's leadership.
"The photos (published over the weekend) and now the 'Round Table' are meant to send a message: 'I am here, and I am on top of everything. . . . I am a part of every decision that is being made,' " she said. "This is not casual at all. This is calculated."
Castro remains the head of Cuba's Communist Party and continues to publish his thoughts on world events in frequent opinion pieces, called "Reflections."
