Lula Kills off Fidel Castro

According to Channel 41 and in Miami and EFE, Brazilian president Ignacio Lula da Silva speaking today said that "I only lament that Fidel Castro did not initiate a process of political opening while he was alive," referring to the Cuban dicatator in the past tense. Was this a freudian slip or an actual slip? Interesting and still no sign of Castro in over a month.