Castro says he too ill to campaign

HAVANA, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said Wednesday he is not well enough to address voters in the country's upcoming elections.

The 81-year-old Castro said in letter published in the communist island's official newspaper Granma that he would not campaign in the municipality where he was elected.

Cuba will hold elections Sunday for the country's National Assembly. In order to be re-elected to the presidency, Castro would first have to win a municipal seat.

Castro turned over authority to his younger brother Raul Castro in July 2006 after announcing he was suffering from an undisclosed gastro-intestinal illness.

He has not been seen in public since, though regularly meets with regional leaders like Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was in Havana this week for talks.