Vol. 79/No. 18      May 18, 2015

Marching at the head of the Havana demonstration were the five revolutionaries — popularly known here as the Five Heroes and around the world as the Cuban Five — three of whom spent more than 16 years in U.S. prisons for their actions in defense of the Cuban Revolution. The victory registered by the dramatic release on Dec. 17 of Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero was visible in the celebratory mood of the marchers. The three joined Fernando González and René González, who served their entire sentences and returned to Cuba a short time before.

In proud recognition of the thousands of Cuban internationalist medical volunteers serving in countries around the world, the lead contingent was made up of some 50,000 health care workers, including 100 who recently returned from West Africa after more than six months there fighting the deadly Ebola epidemic.

Two days later, a brigade of medical volunteers left Havana for Nepal to provide care for survivors of the earthquake that has devastated that Asian nation.

“United in the building of socialism” is the theme of this celebration, Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, general secretary of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers (CTC), told the throng. “It captures our determination and our hopes, present and future; the strength of a working class in power, whose platform of united class action raises the banners of safeguarding peace, of solidarity and of brotherhood among peoples.”

Amid chanting, singing and dancing, wave after wave of workers marched across the Plaza of the Revolution with colorful banners identifying their unions and workplaces and a multitude of handmade signs. A light rainfall only fueled the festive militancy of the crowd. Numerous workers remarked to Militant reporters that the march was noticeably more spirited than in recent years.

The Five Heroes and family members joined Cuban President Raúl Castro and the guest of honor, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, on the reviewing stand.

Referring to the recently initiated discussions between the Cuban and U.S. governments on re-establishing diplomatic ties, Guilarte emphasized, “We will only advance toward normalization of bilateral relations on the basis of respect for the sovereignty and independence of Cuba, which includes the lifting of the [economic] blockade and the return of the territory occupied by the Guantánamo Naval Base.”

He reiterated unequivocally the solidarity of the Cuban government and people with the government of Venezuela. “We firmly reject all foreign interference as well as actions of destabilization, violence and economic war that violate the constitutional order, sovereignty, independence and self-determination of the Venezuelan people, he said.

Some 2,000 guests from around the world participated in this year’s May Day activities in Cuba, which included the march and an international solidarity conference the following day.
 
 
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