Raul Castro confirmed he was handing over the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party to a younger generation at its congress that kicked off on Friday, ending six decades of rule by himself and older brother Fidel..
Flora Bradley-Watson reports.
The Castro era in Cuba is coming to an end.
Fidel's younger brother Raul confirmed on Friday that he was stepping down as leader of the Communist Party.
The 89-year-old made the announcement on the first day of the party's congress in Havana.
It marks the end of more than sixty years of rule by the Castro brothers.
"As for me, my job as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba concludes with the satisfaction of having accomplished, and a confidence in the future of the homeland.
." Castro's announcement came as no surprise.
He told the previous party congress in 2016 that it would be the last one led by the "historic generation", a reference to those who fought to topple a U.S.-backed dictator in the 1959 leftist revolution.
In 2018, Castro handed over the presidency to his protege Miguel Diaz-Canel, who's widely tipped to now replace him.
It will be no easy task though, the transition comes as Cuba faces the worst economic crisis since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
There are growing signs of frustration in the population, especially among younger Cubans.
