Fidel Reads to Hugo

Cuba's President Fidel Castro (R) reads a book during a meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez in Havana October 12, 2007. Ailing leader Castro, who has not appeared in public since July last year, met on Saturday for more than four hours with Chavez, Cuban state television said.

He's wearing the same tracksuit from his last appearance.

Naturally, he reads Hugo a bedtime story about Che.

Cuba released two photographs of Fidel Castro on Sunday in which the ailing leader looked alert as he stood and chatted with visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The pictures, published by the official Juventud Rebelde newspaper, show a gaunt Castro, but with good facial color, in the red, white and blue track suit top that has become his new garb since taking off his olive green uniform and temporarily ceding power to his brother Raul Castro over 14 months ago.

Castro, 81, has undergone at least three major operations in 14 months for undisclosed intestinal problems.

The jacket, in addition to sporting the Cuban colors, has CASTRO, with a Cuban shield below, emblazoned on the left side.

Holding a book about guerrilla fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Castro is shown in the first photograph sitting and chatting with Chavez. In the second picture, Castro and Chavez are standing and shaking hands.

Notice any similarity in the outfits?