Parade in Cuba to mark independence anniversary
ADVERTISEMENTActivists in Cuba held a torch-lit march on Monday in support of the 1959 Revolution.
The rally marked the 166th anniversary of the birth of Cuban independence icon Jose Marti.
The parade through Havana was joined by former President Raul Castro.
The marchers also paid homage to deceased revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died in 2016 at the age of 90, and who remains an iconic figure in the country.
The annual march comes as the country faces regional economic and political challenges, with Venezuela rapidly unravelling and former friendly leftist governments in Brazil and Argentina electing conservative leaders.
The marchers wound their way through the streets of central Havana, ending on the Malecon, Havana's seaside boulevard, where they staged a short rally.