In some Aug. 1 editions, an Associated Press article about Fidel Castro incorrectly said that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended to the throne in 1952, was the world's longest-serving head of state. Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej succeeded to the throne in 1946. His formal coronation was in 1950.
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Ailing Castro Transfers Powers
Superficially, it was like a celebration of a pro sports championship -- the Miami Heat won this year -- but emotionally it was much more, many said.
"This is a different type of celebration," Joe Martinez, Miami Dade County Commission chairman said at a news conference at the county's Emergency Operations Center. "It's a celebration of hope. . . . We're celebrating now the freedom of a country."
  Cuban President Fidel Castro, left, and his brother, Minister of Defense Raul Castro, attend a Cuban Parliament session in the Palace of Conventions in this July 1, 2004, file photo in Havana, Cuba. (Cristobal Herrera - AP)
VIDEO | A Cuban newspaper has released new pictures of Fidel Castro in the hospital, meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
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The naming of Raul Castro is no surprise. He has long been considered the heir apparent to his older brother, even though he lacks his sibling's charisma or popularity.
Cuba expert Anne Louise Bardach, author of the bestselling book "Cuba Confidential," expressed skepticism about the report of Castro's surgery, suggesting that his condition could be more serious than stated.
"I find the timing peculiar and how it was handled in Havana post-surgery as opposed to pre-surgery," Bardach said late Monday evening. The late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco "is the model here. When and if Castro dies, I think we will find out about it days later, once the succession is in order, which has been carefully laid down and fine-tuned the last few years."
In her book, Bardach wrote: "Raul Castro shares the throne with his brother. The younger Castro wields immense power as defense minister along with other lofty sinecures."
Castro's longevity has made the question of his succession and what will happen to Cuba after his death one of the great political intrigues in the Western world. Even minor developments related to his health spawn breathless radio reports and huge headlines in Miami.
As speculation rages about his health, Castro has pondered his morality of late.
"I'm really happy to reach 80. I never expected, not least having a neighbor the greatest power in the world -- trying to kill me every day," he said at the Mercosur summit in July, according to the Reuters news service.
During a speech in July, Castro said he did not plan to rule until the age of 100. But his doctor said in a recent interview with The Washington Post that Cuba's leader is so healthy that he could very well live to be 140.
Staff writer Peter Whoriskey in Miami contributed to this report.