Cuban Interior Minister Fernandez Godin dead

Havana : Cuban Interior Minister Carlos Fernandez Godin has died here after a "chronic illness", authorities said on Sunday. He was 78.

According to his will, Fernandez Godin, who died on Saturday, will be cremated, and his ashes will be honoured at the Pantheon of Veterans in Havana's Colon cemetery, Xinhua news agency reported.

The late minister's ashes will be interred in the Second Front Mausoleum in Santiago de Cuba, where he will receive military honours.

Godin, who fought in the Cuban Rebel Army before the revolution, was promoted from first Deputy Interior Minister to head the ministry in October 2015.

He had replaced Abelardo Colome, who served in that capacity since 1989 but resigned due to health problems.-Agency