Over a million Cubans, led by their President Fidel Castro, marched on Havana's waterfront today in a show of defiance against US interference in Cuba’s political system.
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Hundreds of thousands of Cubans, led by President Fidel Castro (C), march up Havana's waterfront on June 12, 2002 in a show of revolutionary fervor against U.S. pressure for change in the communist-run island. Officials said more than one million people, mostly wearing red T-shirts and waving Cuban flags, marched by the U.S. mission (rear) shouting slogans against the Bush administration.
REUTERS/Rafael Perez
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Cuban officials said more than one million people, mostly wearing red T-shirts and waving Cuban flags, marched by the US mission shouting slogans against the administration of US President George W. Bush.
"Long live socialism, down with the lies," the crowd shouted at the bunker-like building, which is surrounded by iron railings and is the only official US presence in Cuba despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations for four decades.
The march in Havana and towns across Cuba was the climax of three weeks of rallies led by Mr Castro to reject demands made by Mr Bush that the island's one-party state open up to political change and free elections.
Backed by anti-Castro exiles in Florida, Mr Bush vowed recently to enforce trade sanctions against Cuba until reforms are allowed by the Castro government, in power since 1959.
"We are here to tell Bush to stop interfering in Cuba. Leave us alone," said Mr Juan Antonio Gonzalez, an employee in Cuba's tourism industry.
Flanked by Cabinet ministers, Mr Castro, 75, led the 1 mile (1.6 km) march in his trademark olive green military fatigues, wearing black sneakers instead of boots.
His sons Fidel, Alejandro and Antonio joined the march, and his brother Raul Castro, No. 2 in the political hierarchy and minister in charge of the army, marched at the head of a block of uniformed soldiers.
The US government has openly backed a campaign by Cuba's small and fragmented dissident movement that has gathered more than 11,000 signatures to petition for a popular vote on civil liberties under a provision in the country's constitution.