Prize for Cuban child embargoed, but Castro makes good

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Thursday October 26, 2006

Havana- Cuban President Fidel Castro restored to a Cuban child a photo camera that he won in a recent international contest but that the Japanese firm Nikon allegedly refused to send him because of the US embargo over the communist island nation. According to Cuban media, 13-year-old Raydel Sosa Rojas won the prize in an environmental drawing contest in Algeria organised by the United Nations.

The daily Juventud Rebelde said Raydel received on Wednesday night a digital camera like the one he should have got from Nikon. The prize was sent to the boy by Castro.

The daily of the Cuban Communist Party Youth organization showed in its front page a photo of Raydel with his Japanese-made camera.

Cuban President Fidel Castro, 80, is currently recovering from intestinal surgery almost three months ago, and has temporarily transferred power to his brother Raul Castro.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency