Convalescing Cuban President Fidel Castro appeared on state television on Saturday speaking to Cubans as he browsed the day's newspapers, his first public appearance in 40 days.
"Now, when our enemies have prematurely declared me moribund or dead, I'm happy to send to our compatriots and friends around the world this short film footage," said Castro, an years old 80 ironman.
The Cuban leader walked unassisted in the five-minute video.
Castro, in power since 1959, temporarily handed over the presidency to his brother Raul, 75, on July 31 as he recuperated from gastrointestinal surgery.
The footage showed Castro in a sports jacket as he paged through the Saturday copies of the government dailies Granma and Juventud Rebelde.
Castro seemed healthier than in previous photographs.
"This," Castro says as he lifts the day's newspapers, "is in case there were any doubts that this (was filmed either) ten days ago or today," he said.
He reminded viewers of his August 1 message, when he said that his recovery would be long "and not exempt of risks."
Castro said that he follows the television news, and that he "participates in many of the most important decisions with the comrades of the (Communist) Party directive and the government."
During his convalescence Castro has sent four written messages to the Cuban people, and appeared in two videos and in several still pictures.
There have been no photographs of Castro or messages from the Cuban leader since September 18.
In earlier photographs the iconic Cuban leader appeared especially thin -- Castro himself admitted to losing more than 17 kilos (37 pounds).
Castro's hospitalisation had fuelled speculation that he might be dying and that a change in the communist regime of nearly five decades might be imminent.
Earlier in the day Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a strong supporter of the Cuban leader, said that Castro "walks and goes out at night to visit the countryside and villas. Soon I will go there to visit him," the government news agency ABN reported.
Also on Saturday Bolivian President Evo Morales, another Castro admirer, said at a rally that Castro would be again on the job as Cuba's leader "within two to three weeks." He provided no source for his information.
Castro did not take part in public events during the September 11-16 Non-Aligned Movement summit in Havana, but instead met on the sidelines of the event with a handful of world leaders.
His guests included UN Secretary General Kofi Annan; presidents Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, Morales of Bolivia, Chavez of Venezuela and Alfredo Palacio of Ecuador, as well as prime ministers Manmohan Singh of India and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia, state media reported.