May Day Celebrations in Cuba: United in the Construction of Socialism

HAVANA, Cuba, May 1 (acn) Millions of Cubans marched on May 1st through squares across the country, united in the construction of socialism and with the aspiration of the present and future victory of the working class in power.

Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, general secretary of the Cuban Workers Confederation (CTC), reaffirmed this conviction in his speech before the beginning of the parade at the historic Revolution Square in Havana.
The union leader said that workers, along with their people, the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters -Rene, Ramon, Antonio, Gerardo and Fernando-and representatives of the health workers that fought against the Ebola fever virus in Africa are examples of firmness, determination and faithfulness to the homeland.
He recalled that 15 years ago in this same square Fidel Castro, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, defined the concept of Revolution, and that this demonstration is an example of the Cuban people's willingness to defend the work carried out throughout the last five decades.
He stressed that the first priority of the Cuban labor movement is to achieve economic sovereignty, as the protagonist of changes taking place in this field.
He noted that the celebration takes place in a global context of struggle, in which Cubans expressed their conviction in terms of their principles of resistance, solidarity and culture and ideas forged throughout more than five decades of Revolution.
Guilarte de Nacimiento recalled Cuba's dignified position at the recent Summit of the Americas in Panama, where the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Raul Castro, expressed the principles Cubans support.
He said that steps have been taken for the normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States but that there's still a long way to go -a process that should be developed on the basis of respect for the island's sovereignty, including the lifting of the economic blockade still affecting Cuba greatly and the return of the territory illegally occupied by the Guantanamo Naval Base.
The general secretary of the CTC reiterated the island's solidarity with Bolivarian Venezuela its President Nicolas Maduro, and the military-civic union he heads, in the face of the interference and attacks faced, and stressed the love of Cubans for unforgettable Commander Hugo Chavez, Cuba's best friend.
He expressed his appreciation for the presence of hundreds of foreign representatives of trade unions and solidarity groups and reiterated a message of solidarity with all workers fighting for their rights in the world today.
Finally, he specified that the battle for the end of the economic blockade against Cuba continues; he greeted the youth, those who continue and play a leading role in the revolutionary work, and women workers present in all sectors of society, and said that, united, Cubans will achieve victory.