Cuba nominates Miguel Diaz-Canel to succeed Raul Castro as president

Cuban First Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel (C) attends a session of Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power, in Havana, Cuba, April 18, 2018. Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power began a two-day session on Wednesday morning to elect a successor to President Raul Castro. (Xinhua/Jaoquin Hernandez)

HAVANA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's National Candidature Commission on Wednesday nominated First Vice President of the Council of State Miguel Diaz-Canel to succeed Raul Castro as president.

Diaz-Canel, 57, an electronics engineer, is member of the Politburo of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and held the chair of first secretary of the PCC in the provinces of Villa Clara and Holguin.

Meanwhile, Cuba also announced candidates for six vice presidents on the Council of State.

Salvador Valdes Mesa, 72, vice-president on the Council of State and also member of the Politburo, was nominated for new first vice-president.

The other proposed vice-presidents are commander of the Cuban Revolution Ramiro Valdes, Minister of Public Health Roberto Morales, Comptroller General Gladys Bejerano, President of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources Ines Maria Chapman and Beatriz Jhonson Urrutia.

Lawmakers attending the plenary session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, must vote, in a direct and secret way, to select the 31 members on the Council of State, including the successor to President Castro, who has held the post for a decade.

The results will be announced on Thursday in another parliamentarian session.