“I will not aspire to nor accept — I repeat — I will not aspire to nor accept the post of President of the Council of State and Commander in Chief.”
Those are words of Fidel Castro in a letter released Tuesday, according to The Washington Post.
Translation: Castro is stepping down for good after nearly 50 years in power.
The official Agencia Cubana de Noticias has the full text of Castro’s letter. (Or try the Google translation to English.)
Castro has been Cuba’s Comandante en Jefe since 1959. As we once pointed out in Fidel vs. Flintstone, his rule has spanned 10 American presidents and nine British prime ministers (Gordon Brown being the latest) and predated Fred Flintstone and The Beatles, among others. (Queen Elizabeth II still has him by six years, though.)
This clears the way for full control by Castro’s brother and longtime lieutenant, Raul Castro. Of course, Raul himself is not young; he’s 76, Fidel is 81.