Cuba cheers Castro's 75th birthday

The island's media called it a celebration for everyone

Fidel Castro celebrated his 75th birthday on Monday by extending an official visit to Venezuela, giving the impression of "business as usual".

President Castro, whose health has been under scrutiny since he collapsed during a speech in June, has usually kept his birthdays low-key affairs.

But the island's official media did not hold back, with constant radio and television tributes and fulsome praise from newspapers.

The union weekly Trabajadores called the day a "celebration for everyone" and filled eight of its 16 pages with hagiography.

Chavez's birthday present was a rifle

President Castro stayed in Venezuela until Monday night, where he held talks with President Hugo Chavez and attended the opening of a Venezuelan-Brazilian electricity project.

President Chavez, a former paratrooper and coup leader, presented his Cuban counterpart with his first army rifle, then sang him Happy Birthday.

President Castro responded: "In all my life I have never received this kind of tribute".

Still learning

He also had words for anyone worried he is growing old.

"In my 50s I was beginning to learn. In my sixties I was still learning and in at 75 I'm still learning," he said.

The US government, a long-term enemy of President Castro, took care not to join in the party.

A State Department spokesman jokingly suggested the president step down voluntarily because he "has reached the mandatory retirement age for dictators".