MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US calls on all Cubans to remain calm

United States called Wednesday on all Cubans, both sides of the Florida straits to remain put amid feverish speculation about the island's immediate future following urgent surgery on President Fidel Castro's and his alleged strong recovery.

Last Monday the almost 80 year old Cuban leader announced in a written statement that he was transferring power to younger brother Raul (75) for the duration of his recovery from intestinal bleeding surgery.

"Stay where you are" said White House spokesman Tony Snow addressing Cubans in Cuba and Miami adding that "this is not a time for people to jump into the sea and try reaching the other side"

"We have talked about the importance, eventually, of finding an orderly and safe way for people to transit between two places" he said insisting that President George Bush from "the very beginning has stressed the importance of a free and democratic Cuba in the post-Castro era".

Snow recalled that plans devised by the Bush administration's Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba include economic, social and educational assistance "to re-establish ... the naturally close links between the American and Cuban people".

"You've got people running around in 1957 Chevys because it's a country that has not in fact been able to enjoy the technological revolution that's made life easier in the rest of the world" the spokesman said about Cuba.

"And it is time now for the Cuban people also to have a rebuilt infrastructure, electricity, social services, the whole bit".

Meantime State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that "the incapacitation or death of Fidel Castro would be a significant event in Cuba's history and the United States stands ready, if the Cuban people in fact demonstrate and so wish, that they want to make the transition to democracy."

Neither US officials Snow or McCormack offered any additional information about Fidel Castro's condition or the situation inside Cuba.