source: AP

An ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba’s president Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying he will not accept a new term when parliament meets Sunday. The end of Castro’s rule - the longest in the world for a head of government - frees his 76-year-old brother Raul to implement reforms he has hinted at since taking over as acting president when Fidel Castro fell ill in July 2006.

By sunrise, most people headed to work in Havana seemed to have heard the news, which they appeared to accept without obvious signs of emotion. There were no tears or smiles as Cubans went about their usual business. “He will continue to be my commander in chief, he will continue to be my president,” said Miriam, a 50-year-old boat worker waiting for the bus to Havana port. “But I’m not sad because he isn’t leaving, and after 49 years he is finally resting a bit.”

The resignation opens the path for Raul Castro’s succession to the presidency, and the full autonomy he has lacked in leading a caretaker government. The younger Castro has raised expectations among Cubans for modest economic and other reforms, stating last year that the country requires unspecified “structural changes” and acknowledging that government wages that average about $19 a month do not satisfy basic needs.

Dear Raul: Please take the hint and drop this communism business, so I can finally go to Havana and enjoy your fine cigars. Thank you.