Castro to stay president until April 19

Cuba President Raul Castro, front left, speaks with his first vice-president Miguel Diaz-Canel during a session of the National Assembly in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Dec. 21 2017.
Cuba President Raul Castro, front left, speaks with his first vice-president Miguel Diaz-Canel during a session of the National Assembly in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Dec. 21 2017.

HAVANA -- Raul Castro confirmed Thursday that he will continue as Cuba's president into April, two months longer than expected, as parliament extended the political cycle citing delays made necessary by a damaging hurricane.

Castro, 86, had previously said he would step down in February at the end of a monthslong political cycle in which voters and government officials pick the members of local, provincial and national assemblies and the members of the powerful council of state.

But earlier Thursday, the National Assembly announced that its current term would run through April 19 instead of ending in February because Hurricane Irma in September had delayed the start of the cycle. The current council of state also is remaining until then.

"When the [new] National Assembly is constituted next April 19, my second and last term will have concluded at the head of the state, and the government and Cuba will have a new president," Castro told lawmakers.

A Section on 12/22/2017

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