Fidel Castro Steps Down
February 19, 2008
Above: Fidel Castro
“I will neither aspire to nor accept the positions of president of the state council and commander in chief.”
The announcement was made on the online edition of the Cuban Communist Daily paper Granma.
Fidel Castro, who is now 81 years of age, steps down after 50 years in power.
“My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath. That’s all I can offer,” Castro wrote in his letter. “But it would be a betrayal of my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer. This I say devoid of all drama.”
