March 9, 2025 from Havana
Plaza of Revolution, May 1, 2022. Photo: Bill Hackwell
Compatriots: Today the homeland faces a growing hostility of an increasingly aggressive and arrogant empire, determined to increase a new wave of new neocolonial, fascist and terrorist acts.
In response to these violations of international law, we the workers together with the people maintain the unshakeable decision to be faithful to the legacy of the heroes of the Cuban nation; to continue the battle that successive generations of workers, peasants and students have fought, to achieve freedom, independence and social justice, and to preserve and enhance the sacred conquests that we have achieved after the victory of our revolution on January 1, 1959.
In this challenging and complex context, of this period for the nation and all of humanity, the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba (CTC) and its unions nation wide, are calling for a day of mobilization to celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1st; confident that this great celebration will be a new and forceful demonstration showing that we Cubans are still standing firm here, standing up and fighting!
In a massive parade, presided over by the slogan “For Cuba Together We Create”, in the José Martí Revolution Square in the capital, as well as throughout the country, millions of compatriots will ratify our firm conviction that the unity of the people, unconditional resistance and the will to perfect the Common Work will always be a guarantee of victory.
With the contribution of everyone, especially the workers, we will advance the programs that support the socio-economic transformation and development of the country, focused on satisfying the needs of the people and improving working conditions and wages.
In order to achieve this aim, it is essential to maximize the productive reserves available to us, in each sector and workplace; to consolidate the powers granted to the Socialist State Enterprise and its links with the non-state sector, which will contribute to a greater and more diversified supply of goods and services, as well as to the growth of income in freely convertible currency. In this direction, food production is vital, to be as self-sufficient as possible and reduce the costly and unsustainable dependence on imports.
These activities are framed within our historic commemorations: the 130th anniversary of the beginning of the war of independence led by our National Hero José Martí on February 24, 1895; the 86th anniversary of the founding of the CTC, the 22nd Congress; and the 66th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution.
It will also be a special moment to pay a heartfelt tribute to our Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, an everlasting paradigm of Cuban solidarity with all just causes, eternal guide of this Revolution and its people. At the same time, on this day we will continue to demand the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba by the US government, which has been intensified with new coercive measures in these early days of the new administration, including the absurd re-inclusion of our country on the spurious list of state sponsors of terrorism, all of which significantly affect the welfare of the people, the workers and their families.
This will be a good opportunity to reaffirm our rejection of the Israeli government’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people, and to fly the flag of solidarity with the international trade union movement and the workers around the world who are being exploited as a result of the multidimensional crisis of the capitalist system and its neoliberal policies.
Dear comrades: We will celebrate the festival of the world proletariat with colorful and combative parades in squares and communities of our country, as an unequivocal demonstration of the majority support of our people for their Revolution, ratifying the priority of participation and commitment of all, in the search for solutions in the economic battle we are waging, from our own efforts and with the firm and unchanging determination to always achieve victory. Long live May Day! Long live international solidarity!
NATIONAL SECRETARIAT of the CTC MARCH 9, 2025