Hugo Takes A Licking And Castro Keeps On Ticking

President Hugo Chavez said Friday that Fidel Castro is not dying of cancer, saying he had spoken with Castro by phone and he is eating cautiously and well enough to joke

"Fidel doesn't have cancer. I'm very well-informed ... he's instructed (Cuban officials) to inform me of all the details of what is happening," Chavez said during a speech in Caracas.

He said the two leaders had spoken twice on Thursday and discussed a series of new projects between Venezuela and Cuba, including plans for joint oil expeditions. He reiterated previous comments that Fidel's recuperation is going "slowly" and that Castro is fighting "a great battle" for his health after suffering what he described as a "serious illness."

80-year-old Fidel, has not been seen in public since he underwent intestinal surgery in July. He temporarily ceded his powers to his 75-year-old brother Raul.

His medical condition has been kept a state secret, and Cuban officials have insisted he is recovering. But US officials have said they believe he suffers from some kind of inoperable cancer and won't live through the end of 2007.

"Nobody knows when Fidel is going to die," Chavez said.

And between the two sides they sound like medical geniuses in their diagnosis of the Cuban leader.

"We are very optimist. Yesterday, I found him to be in a very good mood, well enough to compare my parrots to (President) Bush," Chavez continued, describing how Castro had told him his pet birds were more talkative than their "northern neighbor."

Chavez said Castro "is eating little by little" and that he planned to send him one of his favorite treats, Venezuelan chocolate imported from 7-11 Food Stores.