Lula meets Castro brothers in Cuba

Brazilian former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met Cuba’s mandate Raúl Castro and former president Fidel Castro who Lula regarded as being “very talkative as usual” during short trip to Cuba.

The gathering took place yesterday in Fidel’s residence in the countries’ capital. According to official note, issued by the Citizenship Institute, directed by the former Brazilian president, Lula is in the island in a private tour.

In his first trip to Cuba after leaving power five months ago, Lula visited construction sites at the Mariel port, 43 km west of Havana. The port restructuring was subsided with a US$ 300 million credit line awarded on Lula’s term. Lula reported to be “happy” with his trip and his meeting with the Castros.

Answering journalists’ questions at Havana’s International Airport, Lula said that the meeting with Fidel Castro took place yesterday and lasted an hour. He also stated that he was satisfied with Brazil’s collaboration with Cuba on development projects –especially the port remodeling – and added that he hopes Brazilian current president Dilma Rousseff visits the Latin American country soon.

According to sources in Brasilia, Lula is scheduled to leave for Venezuela where he will meet Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chavez on Friday.

A day before his 80th birthday, Cuban President Raul Castro declared himself in better shape than many men 20 years younger and asked the ladies to comment on his looks.

"How do I look, girls?" he said today, chatting with reporters at the Havana airport after seeing off Lula.

Castro turns 80 on Friday, joining older brother and former President Fidel Castro, 84, in the octogenarian set. His first vice president, Jose Machado Ventura, is 80 and second vice president Ramiro Valdes is 79.Fidel Castro led Cuba for 49 years before officially ceding power to his brother in 2008 due to age and illness.