Fidel and Raul attend inauguration of the Lenin Monument in the Havana park bearing the Russian revolutionary’s name. Photo: Jorge Oller

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Reverence and mobilization – as tributes to great leaders of the historical struggles for social justice should always be – was Cuban workers’ commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of universal proletarian leader Vladimir Ilich Lenin, in whose honor this year’s May Day mobilization was called.

On Havana’s Lenin Hill, a small group of trade union leaders, headed by Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, Party Political Bureau member and general secretary of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC), dedicated a floral tribute to the legendary Bolshevik, who played a key role in the Russian Revolution, the greatest lesson in the annals of history of what the emancipated working class can achieve in unity of thought and action, guided by socialist principles.

Consistent with the date and the legacy of Lenin, the CTC, in the voice of its Secretary General, reported the decision to celebrate International Workers’ Day within Cuban homes, adhering to health measures adopted to combat the dangerous COVID-19 pandemic.

Guilarte de Nacimiento described as a crucial battle this confrontation with a virus that is devastating the world, and highlighted the important role of the working class in this struggle; both on the front line of the fight and “in the decisive trench” that staying at home represents today.

Under the banner of “For Cuba, United we will win,” May Day celebrations will not include the traditional marches and demonstrations throughout the country, but will take place inside homes, “So that, in the company of our families, we can incorporate all the potential that social media and information technologies offer today, and celebrate the date as it deserves,” Guilarte stated.

He recalled that this May 1st will mark the 20th anniversary of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro’s historic speech on the concept of Revolution, as valid now as ever, as we confront the pandemic “with a sense of the historic moment, with audacity, intelligence and realism in the face of obstacles,” determined, as he taught us, to confront and overcome these obstacles, no matter how challenging they appear.

Guilarte emphasized our solidarity with the workers around the world suffering the impact of the crisis of the capitalist health system, and thanked trade unions and progressive forces everywhere for their support of our demand to end the genocidal U.S. blockade of Cuba.

The CTC Secretary General insisted that responsible social isolation will not prevent the creativity of Cubans from flowering to commemorate International Workers Day in homes and workplaces where essential operations continue.

TO THE MEMORY OF LENIN, AROUND THE WORLD

The 150th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, yesterday April 22, was also celebrated in other latitudes.

Members of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, led by its leader, Guennadi Ziuganov, laid flowers at the foot of the party’s founder’s mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, on Twitter, noted the anniversary “of the birth of the Russian revolutionary politician and philosopher,” while a special stamp collection commemorating the date was presented by Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communication, with the country’s postal company.