• Submitted by: admin
• Politics and Government
• 02 / 19 / 2008

Cuba's ailing leader Fidel Castro has announced he will not return to the presidency, in a letter published by official Communist Party paper, Granma.

"A mis entrañables compatriotas, que me hicieron el inmenso honor de elegirme en días recientes como miembro del Parlamento, en cuyo seno se deben adoptar acuerdos importantes para el destino de nuestra Revolución, les comunico que no aspiraré ni aceptaré- repito- no aspiraré ni aceptaré, el cargo de Presidente del Consejo de Estado y Comandante en Jefe."

"I neither will aspire to nor will I accept - I repeat - I neither will aspire to nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," wrote Mr Castro in the letter.

Mr Castro handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raul, in July 2006 when he underwent intestinal surgery. Fidel, of age 81 has ruled the Republic of Cuba since leading a revolution against dictador Fulgencio Batista in 1959.
Last December, Fidel Castro indicated that he could possibly step down in favour of a younger generation.

In the letter published on Granma's website during the middle of the night in Cuba, Mr Castro said he would not accept another term as president because of the health problems when the National Assembly meets on Sunday.

"The moment has arrived to propose and elect the Council of State, its president, vice-president," he added.

"I just want to carry on fighting like a soldier for our ideas."

The National Assembly is widely expected to elect Raul Castro as his successor.

The BBC's Michael Voss in Havana says nobody knows whether the decision has been prompted by a decline in Mr Castro's health - it has been an official secret since the moment he was taken ill.

The president has not been seen in public for 18 months, although the government occasionally releases photographs and pre-edited video of him meeting visiting leaders from around the world, our correspondent says.

Last month, Mr Castro was shown talking to his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

In the last paragraph of the letter Castro states he will cntinue his weekly wirtings in Granma newspaper entitled "Reflexiones del compañero Fidel":

"No me despido de ustedes. Deseo solo combatir como un soldado de las ideas. Seguiré escribiendo bajo el título . Será un arma más del arsenal con la cual se podrá contar. Tal vez mi voz se escuche. Seré cuidadoso."