HAVANA, Feb 24: Cuba marked a historic milestone in its communist revolution on Sunday as Raul Castro took over as president from his brother Fidel, who ruled the island with an iron fist for almost 50 years.

“Fidel is irreplaceable; the people will continue his work when he is no longer with us physically, though his ideas always will be here,” Raul Castro, 76, told lawmakers in his acceptance speech.

“I accept the responsibility I have been given with the conviction I have repeated often: there is only one Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel is Fidel and we all know it well.”

Ailing Fidel Castro, 81, who announced on Tuesday he was stepping aside after ruling for almost 50 years, was not present as the National Assembly held its landmark session to select a new leader.

But the last of the Cold War leaders voted for his successor in a sealed envelope and newly re-elected speaker Ricardo Alarcon announced later to the assembly that Raul — the only candidate to be put forward — had been named the new president.—AFP