Half a million workers celebrate May Day in Havana, united and resolved to defend and improve socialism in Cuba
Half a million workers celebrate May Day in Havana, united and resolved to defend and improve socialism in Cuba
First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, presided during Cuba's national May Day march celebrating International Workers' Day, culminating in Havana's José Martí Plaza de la Revolución.
There are many superlatives which could be used to describe the massive march with which hundreds of thousands of workers and residents of the capital celebrated May Day, but perhaps what was most impressive was the level of organization among so many men, women and children which allowed the participants to parade through the Plaza in record time, one hour, ten minutes.
Thousands of flags, banners, posters and all manner of creative displays reflecting popular ingenuity filled the Plaza esplanade, carried by more than 500,000 Cuban men and women, organized into 23 blocks, who, led by health care workers, marched to display their enthusiasm and combativity, reaffirming their commitment to preserve and improve socialism.
The march began at 7:30 am with a speech by Salvador Valdés Mesa, member of the Party's Political Bureau and Secretary General of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC).
Leaders of the Party, government, the Union of Young Communists, student organizations, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Ministry of the Interior, along with participants in the Moncada assault and the Granma expedition, families of the Cuban Five and other special guests shared the Tribunal witnessing the Cuban workers' celebration with more than 1,900 representatives from trade unions, social justice organizations and solidarity groups from 117 countries.
At 8:50 am, to the sound of the Internationale, the march's final block representing Cuba's youth, concluded the massive celebration.
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Text: Granma International. Pix:
Jorge Luis González
