Fidel Castro received Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Havana's Palace of the Revolution Tuesday, just a month after the South American leader's last trip to the communist-run island. Chavez arrived to Cuba late Monday, and was greeted by Castro at the airport. The two men, who are close friends and allies _ a relationship that irks the United States _ were shown smiling and embracing in a photograph on Tuesday's front page of Granma, Cuba's Communist Party daily. Castro, who has appeared in public in a wheelchair since an accidental fall in October, was shown standing in the photo. He shattered his left kneecap and broke his right arm when he tripped and fell Oct. 20 after delivering a speech in the central city of Santa Clara. On Tuesday, Castro stood again during a military ceremony to greet Chavez then returned to his wheelchair. --More 2305 Local Time 2005 GMT
