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Cuba parliament opens as Fidel Castro visits Cuban President Raul Castro to retire in 2018
(about 7 hours later)
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. Cuban President Raul Castro has said he will stand down at the end of his second term in 2018, following his re-election by the National Assembly.
It was only his second visit to the assembly since he fell ill in 2006 and handed power to his brother. Mr Castro, 81, formally assumed the presidency in 2008 - two years after replacing his ailing brother Fidel.
The assembly is expected to name Raul Castro for another five-year term as president and to elect a new speaker. The Communist assembly, whose members ran for office unopposed, also chose Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez as Mr Castro's first vice-president.
President Castro has said top officials should only serve two terms at most. Mr Diaz-Canel, 52, is widely seen as Raul Castro's successor.
Correspondents say the younger politicians named to top posts in this assembly may one day run Cuba once the Castro brothers have gone. On Sunday 86-year-old Fidel Castro - who was in power for five decades - made a rare public appearance at the opening session of the assembly in the capital Havana.
Frail The Castros have been running Cuba under a one-party system since the 1959 revolution, which ousted the US-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.
The arrival at the assembly chambers of Fidel and Raul Castro was warmly greeted by more than 600 deputies gathered there. 'Perfecting socialism'
It is not known whether this time Fidel, who is 86, will take to the podium. Addressing the assembly following his re-election on Sunday, Raul Castro said: "This will be my last term."
He was seen in public earlier this month voting for the National Assembly. Correspondents say he appeared frail and stooped. He had earlier called for a two-term limit and age caps for political offices, including the presidency.
Mr Castro has given up all his official positions, except his spot as deputy. But it is the first time he publicly said he would be stepping aside in 2018.
During his last appearance at the National Assembly, in 2010, Fidel Castro warned that a confrontation between the United States and Iran could lead to a nuclear confrontation. During his years in power, Raul Castro eased some restrictions on personal freedoms by lifting bans on mobile phones and home computers, and abolished the need of citizens to buy expensive exit visas when travelling abroad as tourists.
The assembly is expected to elect Raul Castro, who is 81, for another term of office. However, in his speech, he stressed: "I was not chosen to be president to restore capitalism to Cuba. I was elected to defend, maintain and continue to perfect socialism, not destroy it.''
He took over provisionally in 2006 when Fidel fell ill. Cuba has struggled economically since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1991 and now relies heavily on the support of the left-wing government of Venezuela.
But this would only be his second full term after formally assuming the presidency in 2008. Havana's relationship with the US remains hostile - the two countries have no diplomatic relations and a decades-long American economic blockade is still in effect.
Raul Castro has said in the past that top public officials, including the president, should not remain in office for more than two terms. 'Frail'
The assembly will also choose a new president of the assembly, following Ricardo Alarcon's retirement after 20 years. He says he will be campaigning for the release of five Cuban agents sentenced to prison in the US for spying. Until his promotion, Mr Diaz-Canel was one of the eight vice-presidents on the council of ministers.
An electrical engineer by training, he rose through the Communist party ranks in the provinces and at one time served as education minister.
He would succeed Raul Castro if he is unable to serve his second full term in office.
Earlier in the day Raul's arrival, together with Fidel, and was warmly greeted by more than 600 assembly members.
Foreign press was barred from the opening ceremony.
Before Sunday, Fidel Castro was last seen in public earlier this month. Correspondents say he appeared frail and stooped at the time.
Fidel Castro has given up all his official positions, except his post as the assembly's deputy leader.