[MUSIC PLAYING]
Between them, the Castro brothers
have ruled Cuba for 60 years.
And it used to be said that the Caribbean island never changes,
but old age has made change biologically inevitable.
And Raul steps down as president on April 19, aged 86.
What will that mean for the economy
and the communist country's small band of entrepreneurs
and self-employed?
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
The economy has been hit by Hurricane Irma and the halving
of aid from Venezuela.
It's estimated to be a third smaller than it was in 1985.
But US President Donald Trump has also
had an effect, after partially reversing
a detente launched by his predecessor, Barack Obama.
The number of international visitors had been rising,
but has been badly hit.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Other US measures such as an Internet Task Force
to expand the flow of information on the island
are at risk of backfiring.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel is Castro's likely replacement.
The 57-year-old has lashed out at dissidents,
independent media, and foreign embassies.
Under Raul, 580,000 self-employed businesses
were created, but now, they fear a looming government
economic reform package.
And there is added uncertainty of new private sector
regulations.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
It's a vulnerable moment for the Communist Party and for Cuba.
Liberalising the economy would inevitably
loosen the party's grip on power.
The litmus test for the new leadership
will be crackdown or reform.
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