Cuban President Raul Castro says the ruling Communist Party will hold a congress in April, the first party congress to be held in Cuba since 1997.
Mr. Castro said the island's leaders will meet to chart a new economic future for the country. He made the announcement after meeting Monday with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
There has been intense speculation that Fidel Castro's future might be discussed at the next Communist Party congress, but Raul Castro did not mention his brother Monday.
Fidel Castro, 84, stepped down as president of Cuba in 2006, but remains head of the Communist Party.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
