Fidel Castro stepped down Tuesday morning as the president of Cuba after a long illness, ending one of the longest tenures as one of the most all-powerful communist heads of state in the world, according to Granma, the official publication of the Cuban Communist Party.<\/p>\n
In late July 2006, Mr. Castro, who is 81, handed over power temporarily to his brother, Ra\u00c3\u00bal Castro, 76, and a few younger cabinet ministers, after an acute infection in his colon forced him to undergo emergency surgery. Despite numerous surgeries, he has never fully recovered but has remained active in running government affairs from behind the scenes.<\/p>\n
Now, just days before the national assembly is to meet to select a new head of state, Mr. Castro resigned permanently in a letter to the nation and signaled his willingness to let a younger generation assume power. He said his failing health made it impossible to return as president.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will not aspire to neither will I accept \u201d\u201d I repeat I will not aspire to neither will I accept \u201d\u201d the position of President of the Council of State and Commander in chief,\u201d\u009d he wrote.<\/p>\n