Former Cuban president Fidel Castro denied on Monday that he is dying. The 86-year-old published photos and a strongly-worded article in the Communist Party newspaper Granma to counter the rumors that he is on his death bed. He wrote: "Although a lot of people in the world are taken in by the organs of information, almost all of which are in the hand of the rich and the privileged that publish these stupidities, people are increasingly believing less and less in them." Castro has not been seen in public since March when he met Pope Benedict XVI during the pontiff's visit to Havana. Fidel Castro served as Cuban prime minister from 1959 to 1976, and then as president. He handed over power to his brother Raul in February 2008.