#mayday2018

May Day in Cuba: A nationwide fiesta

Under the still faint yellow sunlight, the Plaza was beautiful: a path of flags leading up to the statue of Martí; a giant flag hanging from the Interior Ministry building, next to the iconic image of Che Guevara; on the National Library, a sepia banner with images of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Fidel after the Moncada trial, and Fidel and Camilo Cienfuegos the day the Caravan of Liberty arrived to Havana. Behind us, a banner on the National Theater read: “Unity, commitment and victory.” And further behind, beyond the bloc of thousands of teachers, the compact parade.

We came across Rakso Fernández, hand in hand with his little daughter. “This is a day of reaffirmation,” he said, “As a child, I used to come with my grandparents, and someday I’ll come with my grandchildren.”

We could hardly stop to talk. People flocked to the Plaza, with huge banners and smaller placards. “With Raúl and Díaz-Canel is the image of Fidel,” read one. “Freedom for Lula,” another.

Farther back, Lázaro Vega, an agricultural cooperative worker, marched alone; among the people, but alone. He wore his traditional Yarey hat, and held a Cuban flag in his left hand. At 60 years old, he recalled the first time he came to the Plaza to celebrate May Day.