breaking now... according to the government-run Granma newspaper.

(CNN) -- Fidel Castro announced his resignation as president of Cuba and commander-in-chief of Cuba's military on Tuesday, according to a letter published in the state-run newspaper, Granma.

Castro, 81, temporarily handed power to his younger brother Raul Castro in July 2006 after undergoing intestinal surgery. He hasn't been seen in public since his surgery, but he has appeared in numerous videos and photos in state media.

In December 2007, a Cuban television news anchor read a letter reportedly written by Fidel Castro promising he would not "cling to office" or be an impediment to rising young leaders.

Castro took power in Cuba in 1959 and has ruled the island nation ever since, governing the first communist nation in the Western Hemisphere.

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wow, never thought i'd learn a breaking news on vgchartz.

but yeah, it's everywhere.

Holy sh*t that was unexpected. I always thought I would die before seeing Castro resigning.

Whoooa. Wonder if he's dead. He's one of those guys i expected to still rule even after his death via soemone using him as a puppet figure making appearences from far away via look alike.  Or just dead body ala weekend at bernies.

Wonder if the transition will work out, there are some fairly split factions in cuba. I wonder if someone will turn on Raul now that it's not a temporary gig.

Wow, still waiting for the granma website to be updated though, to believe this. http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html

He shoulda held in for 1 more year, gone for 50

Wow, seemed like it would never happen........are the people in Cuba happy? Not really sure how the people felt there.......

I think they are confused of what is coming next. I was there a couple of years ago and the feelings were quite mixed as they saw that the man was clearly too old for his position but had also been there for 'quite some time' and still a national hero for fighting for the independence. But I think people will be happy to see him letting go while still alive, and hoping that there will be an actual election for the next president.

Just in time, no one wants a president that has reached the age of 80...

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or do you?