Succession Talk Rife After Fall of Castro

Cuban President Fidel Castro broke his left knee and suffered a hairline fracture of his right arm when he stumbled and fell on stage during an art school graduation ceremony, a brief government statement said Thursday.

Castro’s fall Wednesday night, the latest reminder that the longtime Cuban leader is 78, renewed speculation about his health and plans for succession.

Castro fell after he left the lectern where he gave a speech in the central city of Santa Clara. He missed a small step and tumbled a few feet from a row of chairs. Though the mishap was not shown on Cuban television, Castro appeared moments later, sweating profusely and assuring the stunned crowd that he was “in one piece.”

“I will do what is possible to recover as fast as possible, but as you can see, I can still talk,” he said. “Even if they put me in a cast, I can continue in my work.”

Such moments of public vulnerability have focused attention on Castro’s brother and designated successor, Raul Castro, 73. Other leaders such as Ricardo Alarcon, president of Cuba’s National Assembly, and Vice President Carlos Lage Davila have also been mentioned as potential successors.