Cuba president Raul Castro to resign in April after Hurricane Irma damage delays election
Raul Castro will step down after a decade as president (Picture: AP) Cuba’s president Raul Castro wi..
Cuba’s president Raul Castro will step down in April in a historic shift of power for the communist nation.
The veteran leader, 86, was initially due to step down in February, but a vote pushing back the date of the general election means he will stay on for two months longer than planned.
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Castro will be replaced when his successor is chosen by a top governing council, Cuba’s National Assembly has agreed.
Elections have been delayed due to the extensive damage caused to the island by Hurricane Irma, state media reported.
However, sceptics believe it could be concerns over stability as the leadership of the nation is passed on to a new generation.
It will be the first time in nearly 60 years that a leader other than Castro or his late older brother Fidel ruled the country.
Castro’s successor will not be chosen by the people but by the Council of State, which is chosen by the National Assembly, whose 600 members are elected.
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The president officially took over from his brother in 2008 and has previously expressed his opinion that leaders should not serve for longer than 10 years.
Economy Minister Ricardo Cabrisas said the hurricane had caused damage equivalent to about £10 billion.
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