Fidel Castro is no longer the official leader of Cuba. Fidel announced his intent to resign in a Cuban newspaper last week, and Cuba’s National Assembly announced the new Cuban president this afternoon. Fidel’s brother, Raul Castro, has been chosen to take over for his brother. Raul is five years younger than Fidel, and has followed behind him for years as defense minister and Vice President of the Council of State.

Fidel has full faith in his brother as a successor and says that since the announcement of his retirement he has “slept better than ever.” Raul has been acting President of the Council of State, First secretary of the communist Party, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces since his brother’s surgery for intestinal bleeding in 2006, leaving him anything but blind in his new experience. Raul has stated that he will improve the socialist government of Cuba and move towards a more democratic tomorrow.