2008 Cuban President of the Council of State election

An indirect presidential election was held in Cuba on 24 February 2008, in which the National Assembly of People's Power elected a new President of the Council of State and the members of the Council of State. The election followed the January 2008 parliamentary election. In the election, Raúl Castro, who had been Acting President since July 2006, was elected as President of the Council of State, succeeding his older brother, Fidel Castro.

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It was initially considered uncertain whether the ailing 81-year-old Fidel Castro would be elected for another term as President of the Council of State or acting president Raúl Castro would formally assume the presidency,[1] but on 19 February Fidel Castro said that he would not seek another term because his physical condition would not allow him to properly carry out the duties of the office.[2]

Raúl Castro, aged 76, was elected as President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers by a unanimous vote of the National Assembly[3] (on a ballot with only his name for the position[4]) on 24 February 2008.[5] José Ramón Machado Ventura, at age 77, was elected as First Vice-President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers,[3][6] contrary to speculation that someone younger would be chosen for the post.[5] Raúl emphasized that his brother remained "Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution",[5][6] and the National Assembly voted to permit Raúl to consult with Fidel on important issues.[6]

600 deputies chose to cast united votes for all Council of State candidates, while nine deputies cast selective votes. Castro was elected with a unanimous vote of 609 deputies, while Machado received 601 votes. Juan Almeida Bosque, Abelardo Colomé Ibarra, Carlos Lage Dávila, Esteban Lazo Hernández, and Julio Casas Regueiro were elected as Vice-Presidents of the Council of State, all receiving 608 votes except for Lage, who received 609. José Miyar Barruecos was elected as Secretary of the Council of State with 608 votes. 23 other members of the Council of State were elected:[3]

References
Wikinews has related news:
  1. "Fidel Castro hails Cuban voters". BBC News. 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  2. James C. McKinley Jr., "Fidel Castro steps down as president of Cuba", International Herald Tribune, 19 February 2008.
  3. "Results of Council of State elections" Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine, Granma.cu, February 29, 2008.
  4. James C. McKinley Jr., "Raul Castro becomes president of Cuba", International Herald Tribune, 24 February 2008.
  5. "Raul Castro named Cuban president", BBC News, 24 February 2008.
  6. "Raul Castro named Cuban president", Al Jazeera, 24 February 2008.
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