Former Cuban President Raul Castro is stepping down as the head of the communist party in the island nation the AP reported on Friday.

His resignation marks the end of Castro family involvement in Cuban politics which began with former president Fidel Castro overthrowing the dictator Fulgencio Batista in January 1959.

The 89 year old Raul Castro announced his resignation at the start of the 8th party conference on Friday.

Castro had served as Cuban president starting in 2008 when he took over from his ailing brother before resigning in 2018.

He has not yet named a successor to the role of first secretary-general of the Communist Party of Cuba, though it is believed that current head-of-state Miguel Diaz-Canel will take over.

The Biden administration has indicated a desire to ‘reset’ relations with Cuba but has thus far not laid out a policy plan.