Dina Rickman is an assistant editor at The Huffington Post UK
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The cold war may be over - but the propaganda continues.
The state-run website Cubadebate released pictures of Fidel Castro holding a newspaper on Monday in response to rumours he was close to death following a stroke.
Castro also wrote an article published by state-media criticising those who claimed he was on his death bed, the Associated Press reported
Former Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jau claimed he met the 86-year-old in the Hotel Nacional on Sunday, in what would have been Castro's first public appearance in months.
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Castro wrote an article criticising those who spread rumors he was on his death bed
He told journalists Castro was looking "very well."
The hotel's director, Antonio Martinez, said: "Fidel is excellent and his health is magnificent."
The comments come after Venezuelan Dr Jose Marquina told El Nuevo Herald the 86-year-old had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and was close to death.
Dr Marquina said: “He suffered an embolic stroke and recognises absolutely no one.”
Castro stepped down in 2006 after an illness.
Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro(01 of07)
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Fidel Castro(02 of07)
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Fidel Castro(03 of07)
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Fidel Castro(04 of07)
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(05 of07)
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El ex vicepresidente venezolano Elías Jaua muestra una foto del líder cubano Fidel Castro, tercero desde la izquierda, en el Hotel Nacional en La Habana, domingo 21 de octubre de 2012. Según Jaua, la foto fue tomada el sábado 20 de octubre de 2012. Una directiva del hotel dijo a la AP que Castro, de 86 años, apareció en público en el hotel, por primera vez en meses, refutando los rumores persistentes de que el anciano revolucionario estaba agonizando. Las otras personas en la foto que sostiene Jaua son Antonio Martínez, director del Hotel Nacional, centro; la esposa de Castro, Dalia Soto del Valle, 2da desde la derecha y Jaua, derecha. Las restantes personas no fueron identificadas. (AP Foto/Franklin Reyes) (credit:AP)
(06 of07)
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ALTERNATIVE CROP OF XRE101.- Former Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua shows a picture of Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, third from left, at the Hotel Nacional in Havana Sunday Oct. 21, 2012. According to Jaua, the picture was taken Saturday Oct. 20, 2012 inside a van outside the hotel. A top executive of the hotel told the AP 86-year-old Fidel Castro appeared in public for the first time in months at the hotel Saturday challenging persistent rumors that the aging revolutionary is near death. Others in the picture being held by Jaua are, Antonio Martinez, director of the Hotel Nacional, center, Castro's wife, Dalia Soto del Valle, second from right, and Jaua at right. The two women at left are unidentified.(AP Photo/Franklin Reyes) (credit:AP)
CUBA-CASTRO-JAUA-PHOTOGRAPH(07 of07)
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An image of former Cuban President Fidel Castro (3-L) is held up by former Venezuelan Vice-President Elias Jaua in La Havana on October 21, 2012. The photograph shows the former Cuban leader alongside Jaua (R), as well as Cuban National Hotel director, Antonio Martinez (C), Castro´s wife, Dalia Soto del Valle (2-R), and an unidentified woman and child. According to Jaua, Castro conversed with him for many hours and is in very good health. AFP PHOTO/ADALBERTO ROQUE (Photo credit should read ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)