US Officials 'believe Castro Dying of Cancer'

American intelligence officials believe that the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, has terminal cancer and will not be returning to power, according to Time magazine. "Certainly we have heard this, that this guy has terminal cancer," one official said.

According to the magazine, the theory gaining ground in Washington is that the Cuban leadership is aware of President Castro's terminal condition and has arranged his lengthy retreat from the limelight to test public reaction. "They have had a chance to see how things might work out without him functioning day-to-day," an official told Time.

President Castro has ruled Cuba since 1959 after overthrowing the regime of General Fulgencio Batista. In July he ceded power to his brother Raúl, but the measure was described as temporary in order to allow the president to recover from intestinal surgery.

Last month President Fidel was photographed, looking wan and dressed in pyjamas, but smiling.

Last week Cuba's foreign minister, Felipe Pérez Roque, said President Castro would be back. "We will again have him leading the revolution."

Plans are still under way for a belated celebration of President Castro's 80th birthday on December 2.

Raúl Castro has been gaining increasing prominence in public during the past two months. In September he hosted a summit of non-aligned countries, and he recently addressed a meeting of Cuban regional leaders and talked of "this historic moment". He broadcast his first televised address to the country last week from a trade union conference.