Cuba confirms sole candidate to replace President Raul Castro

Cuban officials have confirmed that Miguel Diaz-Canel is the sole candidate to succeed the country's president Raul Castro.


Miguel Diaz-Canel, a 57-year-old Communist Party official and the country's current first vice-president, is due to be confirmed on Thursday as the successor to Mr Castro, whose departure will end his family's six-decade grip on power.

The announcement came after the country’s National Assembly began a historic two-day meeting to elect a successor to the 86-year-old and usher in the post-Castro era.

Mr Diaz-Canel has been widely expected to take over from Mr Castro, who made it clear his deputy was his personal choice.

He spent decades climbing the party ranks, becoming Mr Castro's right-hand man in 2013.
 (RTE)
 18/4/18
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