Cuban leader Fidel Castro poses in this photo taken by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during their meeting in Havana Jan. 15, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Cuban leader Fidel Castro voted on Sunday in the Cuba's national and regional legislative elections.

Fidel, who has been convalescing from serious gastric problems for some 17 months, sent his vote in a sealed envelope via a member of the vote counting board, as set out in the nation's legislation.


Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (L) and Cuba's leader Fidel Castro talk during a meeting in Havana Jan. 15, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

In a Sunday statement, Fidel Castro called for voters to use the "voto unido" (united vote), endorsing all the candidates that appear on the ballot paper.

"An energetic and thorough victory is needed to show our enemy our strength and unity, when he wants to divide, weaken and demoralize us," Castro said, adding that Cuba's elections are taking place using new, creative methods.

He also said that bad weather including cold northerly winds and heavy rain were working against the election. Despite this 25 percent of Western Region registered voters had already cast their vote by 8:15 a.m. local time (13:15 GMT).

Cuba's 8.4 million registered voters are choosing 614 deputies for the National Assembly and 1,201 provincial assemblies. All elected officials will serve for five years.


An electorate casts his ballot at a polling station in Havana, capital of Cuba, on Jan. 20, 2008. More than 8 million Cuban voters began on Sunday to cast their ballots in the country's general election to choose deputies to the national and local legislatures.(Xinhua Photo)