Caracas - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez congratulated Raul Castro on his designation Sunday as Cuba's new president, and reiterated his support for Cuba's socialist government. During his weekly radio and television programme, Alo Presidente, Chavez voiced "support for the progress of the socialist revolution in Cuba" and congratulated Raul Castro, his brother Fidel, who has stepped aside after 49 years as leader of the island, and "all the people of Cuba."
Chavez said that Fidel Castro will remain "the commander" of the communist island and wished the elder brother a speedy recovery from health problems that have kept him from active involvement in governing since July 2006.
"I had the hope that Fidel would recover fully. We have not lost that," Chavez said. "But we cannot ask Fidel for more. Nobody can ask Fidel for more."
He hailed the the long record of loyalty shown by Cuba's new president.
"Raul has always been there," Chavez said. "He always kept quiet, virtually invisible, but working as hard as anyone, faithful to the revolution, faithful to the Cuban people and faithful to the quick to his older brother, Fidel."
