Engineer to succeed Castro as president

The Cuban government has nominated first vice president Miguel Mario Diaz-canel Bermudez as the sole candidate for president.

The move guarantees the 57-year-old engineer will succeed General Raul Castro, 86.

Yesterday’s announcement confirms the longheld expectation that Mr Diaz-canel would take over from Mr Castro in a transition meant to ensure that the country’s singleparty system outlasts the ageing revolutionaries who created it.

The nomination must be now approved by the 604 delegates attending the National Assembly, which always approves nominations with total or neartotal unanimity.

Nominated as new first vice president is Salvador Valdes Mesa, a 72-year-old Afro-cuban former union official who has held a long series of high posts in the Cuban government. Mr Castro is leaving his post after serving two five-year terms. He succeeded his brother Fidel, who headed Cuba from 1959 to 2006.