MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Castro and Chavez exchange compliments.

The official Cuban media called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's surprise visit to his friend and colleague Fidel Castro “an extraordinary and generous” fraternity gesture.

A front-page article in Monday's Granma, the government daily, reported that Mr. Chavez wished the best to Mr. Castro "with a warm and emotional embrace" Sunday night after spending just over 24 hours in Havana on an unannounced visit.

Gramma published a picture of the meeting of the two leaders and praised Mr. Chavez's visit to enquire about Mr. Castro's health and "continue strengthening ties of friendship with the Cuban people." Castro is recovering from injuries in his left knee and right arm when he tumbled shortly after giving a speech in the city of Santa Clara last October 20.

Castro and Chavez held two rounds of "fruitful and fraternal" talks in the Palace of the Revolution, according to Granma, the newspaper of the ruling Communist Party. "The Venezuelan president's visit to Cuba was doubtless an extraordinary and generous gesture of fraternity towards comrade Fidel and all our people," the daily emphasized.

In statements broadcast repeatedly Sunday on Cuban state television, Chavez described his meetings with the currently wheelchair-bound Castro as "special," praising the ailing leader's "extraordinary sense of humour, clarity and dynamism." For his part, Mr. Castro said the visit was the "best night" he had spent since the accident.

The tow leaders reportedly discussed the 2000 Integral Cooperation Agreement, which includes areas such as energy, sports, health care, education, construction, tourism and agriculture, among others. The agreement also contemplates thousands of Cuban physicians and technicians working in Venezuela in exchange for 53,000 barrels of oil per day at discounted prices.