havana communist-run cuba extend term current leadership april thursday signal two-month delay historic handover raul castro new president announce tight regulations non-state sector castro 86 originally set step february two consecutive term end nearly 60 years castro brothers rule mark transition leaders 1959 revolution new young generation national assembly however say devastation work hurricane irma september cause delay start political cycle voters electoral commission pick delegate municipal provincial national assemblies select council state president result assembly hold one twice-yearly meet extend term april 19. national assembly constitute conclude second last mandate cuba new president castro say accord state-run media leave wish people happy new year say castro officially take presidency late old brother fidel castro 2008 set remain head communist party legal party cuba guide force heir apparent first vice president miguel diaz-canel 57 bear year revolution argue need defend achievements provide continuity analysts say diaz-canel unlikely reveal true color designate president even room maneuver could limit need establish legitimate successor historic generation hop next president might deepen market reform centrally plan economy introduce castro dampen thursday announcement new regulations fledgling private cooperative sectors state-run media cite marino murillo chief reform commission say income distribution cooperatives would closely regulate business license would limit one per person economic measure announce today suggest continue slow undo economic reform implement 2010 2016 say michael bustamante assistant professor latin american history florida international university cuba political transition come face host challenge decline aid socialist ally venezuela u.s. president donald trump partial reversal u.s.-cuban detente tighten decades-old u.s. embargo witness serious gradual deterioration relations unite state blame country castro cite state-run media say say unite state fabricate pretexts continue fail policy toward cuba trump administration say year u.s. diplomats havana victims health attack cash crunch leave cuba behind payments foreign providers thereby affect import economy minister ricardo cabrisas tell assembly hurricane irma also cause damage worth equivalent 13.2 billion pesos cabrisas say evaluate damage natural disasters cuba traditionally assume peso equal one u.s. dollar many official exchange rat exist cuba value peso much less economy nonetheless recover year recession 2016 first nearly quarter century grow 1.6 percent minister say cite expansion tourism transport communications agriculture construction sectors despite hurricane irma renew u.s. crackdown travel cuba number foreign visitors grow 19.7 percent year 4.3 million first 11 months 2017 tourism minister manuel marrero tell parliament early week cabrisas forecast economy would grow around percent next year cuba delay historic handover castro new president