HAVANA, April 19. /TASS/. Miguel Diaz-Canel has been elected President of Cuba’s Council of State and therefore President of the Republic of Cuba.

His election to the post was announced on Thursday at a session of the National Assembly of People’s Power, the Cuban one-chamber parliament. Cuban television did live coverage of the session.

As many as 603 deputies of the 604 taking part in the session voted in favor of Diaz-Canel.

Under the provisions of Cuba’s Constitution, the President of the Council of State, who is elected for a five-year term of office, performs the functions of President and Prime Minister of the country.

Diaz-Canel, a former electrical engineer, Education Minister and Vice President, replaces the 86-year-old Raul Castro who has held the position since 2008. The National Assembly did not consider any other candidacies.

Salvador Valdez Mesa, 72, has become Vice-President.