Després de guanyar les eleccions del 7 d'octubre de 2012, que li asseguraven un mandat des del 2013 fins 2019, anuncià al desembre que havia de tornar a Cuba per sotmetre's a una nova intervenció.
After winning the elections on October 7th 2012, which secured his mandate from 2013 to 2019, he announced in December that he had to return to Cuba for another operation.