(CNN) Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Saturday named Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country's prime minister, a nonexistent role within Cuban politics for more than four decades.

Marrero served as the Cuba's tourism minister for almost 16 years and was named prime minister for a five-year term, according to Cuba's state news agency, ACN.

He was a colonel in Cuba's armed forces before being tasked with heading the state tourism industry, which provided badly needed hard currency for the communist-run island.

Fidel Castro was the country's last prime minister. He held the post from 1959 to December 1976 , when he took the title of president of the State Council, a title which replaced the posts of president and prime minister.

Marrero's appointment was unanimously ratified by the 594 deputies of the Cuba's National Assembly during the Assembly's annual end-of-the-year meeting. Parliament's absolute majority is necessary for the appointment, ACN said.

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