Havana.– Cuba holds one-party parliamentary elections Sunday in which there are exactly as many candidates –including an ailing Fidel Castro– as there are seats to fill.

There's little doubt that all 614 candidates, chosen earlier by municipal assemblies, will be elected to the National Assembly, in a process that Cuba's communist regime regards as democratic.

Within 45 days of being elected, the deputies must pick from among themselves the 31 members of Cuba's council of state, whose president is the Caribbean island's head of state.

Castro, 81, has led the council –and Cuba– for almost five decades, but "provisionally" handed over power to his younger brother and longtime number two Raul, 76, after undergoing intestinal surgery in July 2006.

As the elder Castro continues to convalesce in seclusion, it remains uncertain whether the world's longest serving communist leader would want to return to office.

Speculation, discussed in hushed tones on the streets, only increased after Castro said he was not well enough to go out and meet voters.

"I do not enjoy the physical capacity I would need to speak in person to the residents of the town which nominated me for next Sunday's elections. I do what I can: I write," Castro added.

He made the comments during a meeting with Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva. The televised broadcast of the January 15 meeting was the first new footage of Castro in three months.

Castro did say he felt well, while Lula raised eyebrows when he reported that he thought the bearded leader "is ready to take on his political role in Cuba and his historical role before the world." Lula said Castro "has incredible lucidity and impeccable health."

While Castro appears to be in far better health than a year ago, many Cuba-watchers believe he will not be able to resume the full, wide-ranging powers he used to wield.

Some analysts believe he might remain head of state on paper, essentially acting as a kind of behind-the-scenes guardian of the 1959 revolution while leaving other top communist officials to deal with the day-to-day work.