It's supposedly temporary while Fidel has surgery.
Cuban President Fidel Castro was undergoing intestinal surgery and provisionally handed over power in the Communist island nation to his brother Raul, according to a statement read on Cuban television Monday night.
Castro will turn 80 on August 13; he is about five years older than Raul, who has been publicly named as his brother's successor as president.
Fidel Castro, Cuba's leader since 1959, joked last week that he had no plans to still hold power when he turns 100, Reuters reported. (Full story)
Castro's surgery came just weeks after a U.S. government report called for the United States to have assistance in Cuba within weeks of Castro's death to support a transitional government and help move the country toward democracy. (Full story)
Keep your eyes peeled.
UPDATE: More from the updated CNN story.
Castro's secretary, Carlos Balenciago, read a letter he said was from the president in which he said stress had forced him into surgery and that he would be in bed for several weeks after the operation was complete. Castro turns 80 on August 13.
Raul Castro also assumes control over the armed forces and the leadership of the Communist Party, according to the statement.
In bed for several weeks? If I were the tinfoil hat type, I might say that sounds like a mighty Kremlin-y thing to do, and would be awfully convenient for shuffling behind the scenes in case something goes seriously wrong.
Or has already.
UPDATE 2: The I'm speculating up a storm edition.
A statement written by the president and read on TV by his personal secretary said Mr Castro had suffered internal bleeding.
The Cuban leader, who turns 80 next month, said a punishing schedule in recent weeks had affected his health.
...
The BBC's Stephen Gibb in Havana says the fact that the Cuban leader did not appear in person to read the letter has added to speculation about the gravity of his condition.
A major celebration had been planned for 13 August - his 80th birthday - but the event has now been postponed until December.
December. Oh if only I was home in South Florida tonight.
Posted by binky at July 31, 2006 10:02 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Latin AmericaMiami Mayor Manny Diaz predicted that the next few days would be ``very tense.''
He called it ''unusual'' that Castro would be willing to cede power, even temporarily, and suggested that it was a sign that the Cuban leader's health was deteriorating sharply.
''Obviously, we're all going to be very, very happy the day that he dies,'' Diaz said. ``We'll be keeping a close eye.''