After 50 years in power, Castro calls it a day, brother Raul tipped to lead Cuba

FIDEL Castro stepped down on 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.

In late July 2006, Castro, who is 81, handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raúl 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.

Now, just days before the national assembly is to meet to select a new head of state, Castro resigned permanently in a letter to the nation and signalled his willingness to let a younger generation assume power. He said his failing health made it impossible to return as President.

Castro seized power in January 1959 after waging a guerrilla war against the then-dictator Fulgencio Batista, "I will not aspire to neither will I

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