On May 1, A Holiday for Cubans and Red Flags for the Regime’s Foreign Guests

On Monday, foreigners were seen in the streets of Havana with red protest flags and those of the Communist Party. (14ymedio)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 2 May 2023–It was to be expected that the streets of Havana would be empty on May 1 after the Cuban government canceled the “austere” events that had been planned. What was surprising is that the sun was shining brightly throughout almost the entire Island, when the reason given for the suspension was that Sunday’s weather would continue.

The good weather raised suspicions, such that the “challenge” to upload a photo of the “sunny morning” from “your spot” spread on social media like wildfire. With the hashtag #yonodesfiloel1demayo [I don’t march on May 1], the message was started by Amelia Calzadilla, the English linguist who gained notoriety after posting several videos in which she denounced the struggles experienced by a mother to raise her children in Cuba. Several other Cubans joined her including journalist Diasniurka Salcedo and newscaster Yunior Morales.

At the same time, the regime boasts in the official media about receiving “more than a thousands invited guests from different countries” for this International Workers’ Day. According to Prensa Latina, some of them participated on the 26th and 27th in a “scientific workshop” to discuss topics such as “histories, theory and methods for the study of work and workers” or “experiences and challenges” of social movements in America.

Furthermore, always according to officialist media, they toured different neighborhoods of the capital to see the “transformation works in communities of Havana”.

On May 2, the plan is for these delegates to participate in the closing of the International Solidarity Encounter with Cuba in the Palacio de Convenciones in Havana, with the objective of “anti-imperialism after 200 years of the Monroe Doctrine”.

While they waited for that moment to arrive, some of those foreigners were seen on Monday in the streets of Havana with red protest flags and those of the Communist Party, in addition to their national banners as was the case of some Italians in Havana Vieja. They seem to be the only ones who have something to celebrate today.

Translated by: Silvia Suárez

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORKThe 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.