Fidel Castro steps down temporarily due to illness, to undergo surgery

HAVANA
Fidel Castro announced Monday night in a letter read by his secretary live on state television that due to illness he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his brother and successor Raul, the defence minister.

In the letter read by his secretary Carlos Valenciaga, Castro, 79, said he had suffered gastrointestinal bleeding, apparently due to stress from recent public appearances in Argentina and Cuba, and had to undergo an operation.