Posts are falsely sharing a photograph of a large crowd in Cuba and claiming that it shows recent protests. The photo does show Cuba, but it was taken in 2018 during that year’s May Day march and does not show people demonstrating against the government last weekend.
An example with over one thousand shares can be seen here .
The text in one post reads “Cuba protesting communism”, with comments including “Like they always say about communism/socialism... You have to fight your way out”, “People rising up! Good for them” and “God Bless them”.
The original photograph is visible on Getty Images here . It is also viewable on Reuters Pictures here . It is dated May 1, 2018 and the description reads: “People march to Revolution Square in Havana to celebrate May Day, on May 1, 2018.”
International Workers Day is the country's most important holiday after the Jan. 1 victory day of former leader Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution (here).
In 2018, hundreds of thousands paraded at the break of day through Revolution Square to the tune of marching bands, waving Cuban flags and banners reading “United for our Socialism” and “Viva Fidel” (here).
Together, Fidel Castro and his brother Raul led Cuba’s 1959 revolution and ruled the island nation for six decades. The rally was a show of support for the revolution, for Castro “and the continuity of his leadership in the state and government presided by comrade (President Miguel) Diaz-Canel,” Ulises Guilarte, of the Cuban Workers’ Confederation, said in a speech at the time.
Feting workers, May Day is especially significant in Cuba, which calls itself a worker-governed society. Buses collect demonstrators before dawn for rallies in cities throughout the country and marchers are organized into blocs of neighbors, workers, and students.
The latest protest, on the other hand, was the largest in the country in decades with thousands of people on the streets, as seen in Reuters photos here , here, here and here and Reuters video here .
VERDICT
False. The photo shows a May Day march in Cuba in 2018. It does not show Cubans protesting against the government.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here .
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.