Former Cuban President Raúl Castro appears at military event after hospitalization

September 6, 2026 / 2:39 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Former Cuban President Raúl Castro appeared at a military event on Saturday, marking his first public appearance since he was hospitalized for what was reportedly a serious illness. The military event was held to celebrate the anniversary of an army branch responsible for protecting its top leaders.

Cuban state television aired more than 10 minutes of footage Saturday night that showed Castro, 95, in his traditional olive-green military uniform, alongside his bodyguard and grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro. The former leader's previous public appearance was on Aug. 13.

The broadcast also reported that Castro's grandson had participated earlier this year in talks with the United States, which has imposed an oil and financial blockade on the island since January. The talks have since halted, while sanctions have increased in recent months.

Authorities from both nations have acknowledged that talks took place following the energy blockade, but there is neither an agenda nor any leaked details regarding these conversations.

The former president, who no longer holds any formal position in government or in the island's Communist Party, rarely appears in public. Rumors regarding his health have recently circulated, even more so since…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/