Cuba parliament opens as Fidel Castro visits

[Judi Lynn]

Source: BBC News

24 February 2013 Last updated at 13:29 ET
Cuba parliament opens as Fidel Castro visits

Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro has made a rare public appearance, joining his brother, President Raul Castro, at the opening session of the National Assembly in Havana.

It was only his second visit to the assembly since he fell ill in 2006 and handed power to his brother.

The assembly is expected to name Raul Castro for another five-year term as president and to elect a new speaker. President Castro has said top officials should only serve two terms at most.

Correspondents say the younger politicians named to top posts in this assembly may one day run Cuba once the Castro brothers have gone.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21568158

[dipsydoodle]

1. Raul Castro gets new term, says it will be last

HAVANA (AP) -- Raul Castro announced Sunday that he will step down as Cuba's president in 2018 following a final five-year term, for the first time putting a date on the end of the Castro era. He tapped rising star Miguel Diaz-Canel as his top lieutenant and first in the line of succession.

The 81-year-old Castro also said he hopes to establish two-term limits and age caps for political offices including the presidency - an astonishing prospect for a nation led by Castro or his older brother Fidel since the 1959 revolution.

The 52-year-old Diaz-Canel is now a heartbeat from the presidency and has risen higher than any other Cuban official who didn't directly participate in the heady days of the revolution.

"This will be my last term," Castro said, his voice firm.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CB_CUBA_PRESIDENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-02-24-19-13-05

[Judi Lynn]

2. That's a stunner, D.D. Very, very interesting!

I hope they are able to get a lot accomplished in the next 5 years.

Thank you for posting this one.

[brooklynite]

3. Maybe introduce Democrary?

Although they probably don't want to rush into that...