Washington, DC, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is sticking to his assertion Cuban leader Fidel Castro was no longer a regional threat.

"He is not the kind of threat he was when he had the Soviet Union backing him up about 15 or 20 years ago," he told the Knight Ridder news service. The U.S. State Department released the transcript of the interview Friday.

Powell's comment that Castro only caused "his own people to suffer greatly" was a repeat of remarks made earlier this week when the top U.S. diplomat was traveling in Latin America.

Kerry, the Democratic nominee for president, criticized the comments.

He said it was "shocking" the Bush administration was telling the world Castro was no longer a threat to the hemisphere.

Powell defended his statements, however, noting Kerry's comments may reflect political pressures.

"My record with respect to Fidel Castro is rather clear, but we are in a campaign season where people go beyond what is said in order to make a political point," he said.