“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,” Castro announced in a signed letter published in the official state newspaper Granma.

The 81-year-old maverick ruler, a trusted friend of India, has been guiding his 76-year-old brother Raul Castro to whom he temporarily handed over power since he underwent a stomach surgery two years back.

The cigar-puffing tempestuous leader, always seen sporting olive fatigues and a thick beard, has ruled Cuba since leading a Communist revolution in 1959. In December, Castro had indicated that he could possibly step down in favour of younger leaders.

In his letter, Castro said he would not accept another five-year term as President when the National Assembly meets next Sunday, because of the health problems.

However, Castro insisted he was “not saying farewell. I just want to carry on fighting like a soldier of ideas.” 

Castro, known to be close to the Nehru-Gandhi family, had visited India in 1983 for the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) of which Cuba is a founding member.

He had also made a stopover in Kolkata on his way from Vietnam in 1973.

The fiery guerrilla leader was instrumental in reshaping Cuba into a Communist state.

He survived several assassination attempts and a suspected CIA-backed invasion.

Castro thwarted “attempts” by ten US administrations to unseat him.

Last year, he had even vowed to live long enough to see President George W Bush leave the White House.

Castro, who took power in a 1959 revolution, was the world’s longest-serving head of government and has been the leader of the Americas’ only communist country for 50 years.