Castro in live TV broadcast

Updated 09.17 Mon Oct 15 2007

Keywords: Hugo Chavez, Cuba, Fidel Castro

Ailing leader Fidel Castro has made his first live appearance on Cuban airwaves since falling ill 14 months ago.

The 81-year-old underwent emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006 and ceded authority to his younger brother Raul.

Seeming lucid and in good humour he exchanged praise and jokes with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez

Seeming lucid and in good humour, he exchanged praise and jokes in an on-air telephone conversation with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on his weekly television programme.

The Cuban president said "the world is filled now with Vietnams before a tyrannic force in the world," adding that US President George W Bush was "too powerful a demon for me to even talk to him."

A videotape, which was said to have been made a day earlier, was broadcast showing Castro looking older and his grey beard considerably thinner - but he appears lucid and animated.

Earlier, Cuban state media released two new official photos of the Castro and Chavez together, but provided no details about Castro's health.