Raúl Castro
With the retirement of President Fidel Castro in early 2008, Lage was mentioned by experts as a possible successor to Castro if the Cuban regime decided to go with a younger leader rather than Fidel's brother, Raúl Castro. On 24 February 2008, Raúl Castro was elected President; Lage was unanimously re-elected to his old post as one of the Vice Presidents of the Council of State.