International Workers Day 2018 in Cuba

Elio Delgado Legón

HAVANA TIMES – Under the slogan of unity, commitment and victory, Cuban workers celebrated May Day, as a true celebration throughout the country, with parades in all the provincial capital cities, preceded by events and parades in all the municipalities, in which a total of millions of people participated, with the joy and enthusiasm that characterizes the Cubans.

One of the characteristics that distinguished the celebration of May Day this year was the support shown to the recently elected Council of State and its president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudes; as well as Army General Raúl Castro, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba. Also the support for the updating of the country’s economic model and to the continuity of the revolutionary socialist process.

The parade in the capital was held, as in previous years, in the Plaza de la Revolucion José Marti, where almost a million Cubans paraded, united and compact, carrying slogans from each workplace and sector, as well as photos of Fidel, Raul and the martyrs of the working class. They marched before the president and the main political and governmental authorities of the country, including the Secretary General of the Central of Workers of Cuba (CTC), Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento. Also present were more than 1,400 labor leaders from 64 countries, who attend the workers’ party, in solidarity with the Cuban people and their revolution.

Before the parade began, the Secretary General of the CTC read an address reaffirming the support of the working class for the leadership of the Revolution. Guillarte also expressed the solidarity of the Cuban workers movement with the peoples and governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua, victims of external interference with the objective of destabilizing both countries and overthrowing their legitimate governments, democratically elected by their peoples. Likewise, with other peoples who suffer the aggression of imperialism and its lackeys.

At the front of the parade, occupying the wide avenue from one side to the other, a line of 100 students of teacher training schools carried a banner in which it read: 80 YEARS OF PRINCIPLES, UNITY AND HISTORY, in allusion to the 80 years of the CTC.

The workers of the education, science and sports sectors began the parade, carrying posters in support of the Cuban Revolution, the ideas of the Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the current leadership of the country, as well as demanding the end of the cruel and unjust blockade that the government of the United States has maintained over Cuba for more than 55 years. They also demanded the return of the territory illegally occupied by the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay. These demands were maintained throughout the parade.

The second block of marchers was that of health workers and the company Biocubafarma, one of the largest, followed by construction, communal, communications and tourism workers. From there, each union with its workers accompanied a municipality of the capital.

The last blocks to march were those of civil defense workers and finally members of the Young Communist League made up of workers, combatants and students.

It was a colorful, combative and joyous parade that lasted almost two hours and in which the participation of youth in all the blocks prevailed and once again the people showed their unconditional support for the Revolution.

Unlike other countries in which workers take advantage of this date to make a host of demands, including wage increases and respect for their rights, Cuban workers celebrate it as a party. Regardless of the fact that all the problems are not resolved, they know that their government works to overcome the obstacles and solve them in the shortest time possible, because this is a revolution, according to Fidel’s words, “of the humble, by the humble and for the humble.”