Cuba is in the process of choosing another president after 49 years under “El Líder Máximo”. The country’s lawmakers will meet to name the new Cuban leader on Sunday, five days after an ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro gave up power.

The main favorite to succeed Fidel is his brother Raul Castro. He was already named by his older brother as first vice president and constitutionally designated successor. For these reasons, Raul Castro is widely expected to lead Cuba from now on.

Raul is also the country’s defense minister and has headed a caretaker government for 19 months since Fidel undergone an emergency intestinal surgery and temporarily ceded his powers.

Cuba’s 614-member National Assembly s selecting a 31-member Council of State led by a president, who is the nation's head of state and government.

Fidel Castro was Cuba’s president since 1976, when the actual government structure was created. Before taking over as president, Fidel was the country’s prime minister.

At the present time, Fidel Castro retains his position as a member of the National Assembly and also remains the head of the Communist Party as first secretary.

The 81-year-old has strongly criticized the U.S. speculations about a possible change in Cuba’s politics following the change of leadership. In his Friday-published column in the Cuban Communist Party newspaper Granma, Castro firmly rejected President Bush's affirmation that his resignation could open the way for Cuba’s path to democracy.

In his article, Castro said that the real intention of the American President is in fact the "annexation" of Cuba.

Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista’s government in 1959 and ruled Cuba for almost five decades with an iron fist. Even though he said he would never retire from politics, he was forced to step down from the public scene in the last months of his presidency and now to give up the leader position.

“El Líder Máximo” ruled over Cuba for more than 49 years and outlived nine American presidents.