The former president of Cuba made his first public appearance since April 2013 on Wednesday, when he attended the opening night of a cultural center in Havana.
87-year-old Fidel Castro was shown on a state-run television network pulling up to the cultural center in a blue van, Reuters reported. Onlookers erupted into applause when the Cuban leader emerged from the vehicle.
Castro, who walked into the event with the help of a cane and a few assistants, spoke with supporters for a short while before going inside the facility.
Inside the center - which is sponsored by one of Castro's favorite artists - the former leader conversed with attendees of the opening, including Alexis Leyva, a painter and sculptor better known by the moniker Kcho.
The last time Castro made an appearance captured by the media, the former president was attending the inauguration of a school in Havana, Reuters reported. Castro largely keeps to himself, staying within the walls of a sprawling villa just outside of Havana. Guests often come to visit him, but photos are rarely taken and news coverage on his movements are sparse.
Castro, who appeared at the cultural center with a full beard and grey hair, functioned as president for 48 years before he became seriously ill in 2006. His brother, Raul Castro, inherited the leadership position in 2008 when he was sworn in as president.
