Raul Castro Presides over May Day Parade in Havana

Cuban President Raul Castro presided over the main popular parade celebrating May Day in Havana’s Revolution Square. The big parade was headed this time by a contingent of more than 50,000 workers from the health sector.

The opening address was delivered by the Secretary General of the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba, Salvador Valdes Mesa, who called on all Cuban unionists to work with discipline and get past yesterday’s mistakes.

He also emphasized the need to fight the country’s widespread corruption and stressed that the unity of workers was essential to preserve the economic and social achievements of the Revolution.

Valdes Mesa also joined the popular demand for the lifting of the economic and political blockade imposed by the government of the United States against Cuba.

Likewise, the union leader echoed the strong popular claim for the immediate release of the five Cubans imprisoned in the United States for their anti-terrorism actions.

The big parade was headed this time by a contingent of more than 50,000 workers from the health sector, while a contingent of young Cubans, representing the new generations, will be the last to march. It will be made up of high school and university students, members of the Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry, young athletes and teachers.

Similar marches will take place in each and every provincial capital island-wide.

The May Day celebration will serve for Cuban workers to reaffirm their support of the Revolution and improve their socialist system by implementing the economic and social guidelines agreed upon by the 6^th Congress of the Communist Party. (Taken from RHC)