February 19, 2008: The Cuban Dictator Has Left The Building…

HAVANA (AFP) – Fidel Castro resigned Tuesday as president and commander in chief of Cuba in a message published in the online version of the official daily Granma.

"I neither will aspire to nor will I accept — I repeat — I neither will aspire to nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," wrote the Cuban leader, who had been in power for almost 50 years.