Cuban assembly to name leader to succeed Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro has been in power since 1959
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Sunday, 24, Feb 2008 08:55
Cuba's national assembly will vote today to decide the country's new head of state after Fidel Castro's announcement that he would step down.
Last week, the 81-year-old revolutionary, who suffers from numerous health ailments, wrote in the country's state newspaper that he no longer wanted to continue as the island's leader after 49 years in power.
His brother Raul has been the head of government for the last two years, taking over after Fidel required intestinal surgery. Analysts expect Raul to be named as the country's new leader.
The stern critic of the US came to power after deposing US-backed dictator Batista in 1959. He then aligned himself with the Soviet Union creating a communist government off the coast of the US.
While he has vowed to step down from power, he is still likely to be an important player behind the scenes and has promised to continue penning his thoughts in the official newspaper.
In his resignation letter last week, Fidel promised to continue as a "soldier of ideas" and put his retirement down to his "precarious state of health".
The Cuban national assembly will elect the council of state today whose president will serve as the country's most senior official.