Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in a process of "clear recovery" and the country is working as normal, Deputy Foreign Minister Marcos Rodriguez said on Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua at the Foreign Ministry, Rodriguez said that Castro was recovering from the health crisis which began in late July with an attack of intestinal bleeding.

Castro underwent an intestinal operation on July 27 and temporarily ceded power to Defense Minister Raul Castro.

Rodriguez mentioned the Cuban television video footage on Jan. 29, which showed Castro was standing and chatting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Havana, looking stronger than in previous images.

"Fidel will return to his work," the deputy foreign minister said.

Rodriguez, whose area of responsibility is Africa and Asia, added the country would keep running normally.

Source: Xinhua