Fidel Castro looks fit in new photos

Perhaps to the dismay of some members of Florida’s Cuban-American community, and delight of other Caribbean-Americans, a recently published photograph of Cuban President Fidel Castro showed him looking healthier than he has looked since his operation and mysterious illness last year. The photograph showed Castro meeting with a member of China’s Communist Party Polituburo, Wu Guanzheng. Reports are that Castro and top members of his cabinet met last week with the delegation from the Chinese government, for over an hour, and that the meeting “was very profound and fruitful.”

The photograph showed Castro dressed in a red and black jogging suit, standing erect and looking strong and healthy. Former pictures of Castro showed him looking, frail, gaunt, and either lying in bed, or shuffling as he tried to walk. The implications of the photograph and the report are that Castro is not only recovering his health, but could be returning to active participation in the government of Cuba.

Last July, Castro informed the world of his illness in a letter, indicating he was suffering from intestinal bleeding, and had to undergo surgery. He then temporarily turned over the presidency to his brother, Raul. Since the operation, in the absence of formal reports on the state of Fidel’s health, there have been conflicting reports of him being close to death, having either cancer or diverticulitis, or, according to Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, who met with Castro since his operation, improving steadily.

A report in the Miami Herald have Jorge Pinon, research associate - University of Miami Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies saying that he was surprised and impressed at how Fidel looked in the photo, and thinks it is a sign that he is getting better.

Arthur Teele’s conviction overturned

Beleaguered by a mountain of negative publicity, and criminally convicted of threatening police officers, former Miami City Commissioner, Arthur Teele, Jr., a beloved politician to most of Miami’s African American community shot and killed himself in 2005. Last week, the conviction was overturned by a Florida appellate court.

The allegation behind Teele’s conviction was that he threatened police offices who were following him s part of a corruption probe. The charges, conviction, and the resulting decision suspending him from public office, devastated the very proud politician. During the trial related to the charges, Teele told the court his wife had complained of being stalked, and he when he saw a man following her he confronted the man angrily, not realizing it was a plain clothes policeman. Despite this argument, Teele was convicted and received two years probation.

A three-judge panel of the Third District Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that prosecutors never presented sufficient evidence that Teele did anything other than try to protect his wife, and overruled the conviction.

Although Teele’s name was not cleared in life, the appellate ruling, posthumously, offers him a clean criminal record. The ruling also means that Teele’s widow, Stephanie, could collect Teele’s city pension for his seven years of service to the city. Reports estimate that pension as $39,100 yearly. Miami city attorney, Jorge Fernandez is reported to be researching if there are any legal barriers that could prevent the payment of the pension, and said that if there is none, Teele’s family should get the pension.

Drug smuggling ring busted at Port Everglades and Miami’s airport.

In a measure meant to stem the flow of drugs between South America and main American ports at Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami International Airport, federal authorities arrested 18 people including cargo workers and others who were charged in a conspiracy indictment, Plus, another six drug-trafficking suspects in Colombia have been arrested.

Those arrested at MIA were not employed by the airport authorities, bu, rather, by various airlines. Reports are that investigators are concerned that drug traffickers can get around attempts to secure the ports by corrupting cargo workers. It has been stated that about 30,000 people work at MIA, and some 27,000 has access to restricted areas.

Since international drug investigations that has been underway from 2002 their have been various seizures totaling 521 pound s of cocaine and 81 pounds of heroin. This includes cocaine and heroine found in a cargo container filled with furniture at Port Everglades. Approximately 200 pounds of cocaine were also seized at MIA. Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents said that the illicit operation relied on cargo workers who smuggled the drugs through the two ports.

Drowned Haitian Refugee buried, among great emotion

Along with over 100 other Haitians, Lifaite Lully, 24, attempted to land on a beach in Hallandale a few weeks ago seeking refuge in South Florida, and fleeing severe hardships in Haiti. Unfortunately, Lully did not make it to land, drowning in the sea as je humped in trying to reach shore. Last Saturday, he was laid to rest. Funeral mass for the young Haitian was held at the Notre Dame d’Haiti Catholic Church in Miami’s Haitian community.

Reports are that that the three-hour mass was attended by some 1,200 mourners, including Lully’s mother who heard the Reverend Jean-Mary render an emotional eulogy, that in part criticized the discriminatory U.S. policy meted out against Haitians who try to enter the U.S. by sea. The eulogy brought standing ovation form the congregation, and caused many, including some priests to shed tears.

The funeral was attended by Catholic Archbishop John Favalora, who has been very critical of the U.S. policy that shuts out Haitian refugees. Only North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns and Haitian elected officers were among the elected officials attending the funeral.

The outcome of the 101 Haitians who made the voyage with Lully, but who have been detained by immigration authorities, is still not settled to date.