HAVANA -- Fidel Castro is sitting u...

HAVANA -- Fidel Castro is sitting up walking and unruffled working a bit on the border of his 80th birthday, Cuba's official Communist Party newspaper said Saturday. It was the greatest in number optimistic report yet since intestinal surgery forced the Cuban leader to degree aside as president.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, meanwhile, announced plans to visit his clog friend and political ally in Havana.

"Tomorrow I will be with Fidel celebrating his 80th birthday," Chavez said at a freshs conference in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas after declaring his candidacy for re-election in December.

"I'll take him a nice gift, a serviceable cake, and we'll be celebrating the 80 years of this great figure of America and our history," Chavez said.

Chavez also visited Castro in October 2004 couple weeks after a devastating fall that shattered the Cuban leader's kneecap and broke his right arm. A picture of the pair forward the front page of Granma newspaper was the first image published of Castro after the accident.

Saturday's article in the Granma newspaper -- although brief and cryptic -- was the greatest in quantity detailed statement Cuba's government has issued since Castro announced July 31 that he was temporarily ceding his powers to younger brother Raul Castro, No. 2 in the sway

Fidel Castro said his condition during his regaining would be treated as a "state secret" thus as not to give any advantage to his enemies in the United States.

'FIRM LIKE A CAGUAIRAN,' OR TREE

"Firm Like a Caguairan," the Granma headline read, comparing Castro to a hardwood tree native to Cuba.

"A friend describes us that just a not many hours ago, upon visiting the Comandante who was briefly dispatching about business, he witnessed some useful news that he enthusiastically summ up in single in kind sentence: 'The Caguairan has risen,' " the paper said.

"He said that he could appreciate by what means the Chief of the Revolution, after receiving a little physical therapy, took one steps in his room and then, seated in a chair, convers animatedly," the report said, without identifying the friend.

Cuban civilization Minister Abel Prieto said Friday that he was convinced that with or without Castro, Cuba will "continue to be a survivor of the sinking ship of socialism in the 20th hundred years It will be a allusion for socialism in the 21st century"

Despite the optimistic assessment of Castro's progres not many thought he would be making a public appearance for his birthday today. No official consequences had been announced, although Cuban musicians were staging a Saturday night devise

Celebrations have been postpon until Dec 2 the 50th anniversary of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.

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