MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fidel Castro in “good health and feels great admiration for Pope Francis”

Betto, a founder of Liberation Theology, and Castro are old friends and the Brazilian is a frequent visitor to Havana

Fidel Castro is in good health and feels “deep admiration” for Pope Francis, Brazilian intellectual Frei Betto said on Wednesday a day after meeting with Cuba's former president. He and Fidel discussed a wide range of subjects and the 88-year-old leader of the Cuban Revolution remains “very optimistic,” Betto told reporters in Havana.

“I have written an article for Brazil about my encounter with Fidel and I said that an axiom I always repeat is perfectly applicable to Fidel: we must leave pessimism for better days,” the Dominican monk said in comments broadcast on Cuban state television.

Betto, a founder of Liberation Theology, and Castro are old friends and the Brazilian is a frequent visitor to Havana, where he traveled this week to address a conference on education.

”(Castro) asked me about my meeting with Pope Francis. He has a deep admiration for Pope Francis,“ the Brazilian said.

Fidel and Betto met a day after the former president's first public statement about the planned restoration of diplomatic relations with Washington, made in the form of an open letter to students at the University of Havana.

Betto, whose books include ”Fidel and Religion: Conversations with Frei Betto“ said Castro asked his opinion about Cuba's budding rapprochement with the United States.

”I said I thought it is very good, very positive. But one side still speaks in FM and the other speaks in AM, getting on the same wavelength will take time,“ the Brazilian recounted, adding that he emphasized the thaw between the long-time antagonists ”is an important step for peace, a dialogue that has to take place.”

U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban counterpart Raul Castro - Fidel's younger brother - announced the restoration of bilateral diplomatic links on Dec. 17 in simultaneous speeches. The agreement followed 18 months of secret negotiations mediated by the Argentine pontiff and the Canadian government.