Fidel Castro had announced Tuesday that he would not accept another five-year term as president. He had temporarily ceded power to his brother after falling ill with an intestinal disorder in July 2006 and undergoing surgeries. He said in his resignation letter that he is not up to the physical demands of the leadership.
The elder Castro was elected to the assembly, but failed to show up at its inaugural gathering. Despite his absence, he cast his votes for the new hierarchy. Two fellow members of parliament visited him at an undisclosed location early in the day to collect his ballots, the assembly was told.
Fidel Castro has long condemned all capitalist influences as destructive of the egalitarian nature of Cuban society. Raul Castro, though, has overseen some of the more successful joint-venture enterprises with foreigners in such economic sectors as tourism and mining, which have brought in billions of dollars in hard-currency revenue.
