'Cuba defends its independence from the US empire,' says Diaz-Canel

Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel affirmed on Saturday that the country continues defending its independence from the US empire, as commemorating today the 152nd anniversary of the beginning of independent struggles.

The president recalled on Twitter the armed uprising against the Spanish metropolis, which occurred on October 10, 1868, about which he noted it was 'the first day of freedom.'

Diaz-Canel also tweeted, 'the beginning of our quest for independence, an ideal that we continue nowadays defending against the US empire and the annexationist mercenaries at its service.'

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, referring to the anniversary, pointed out that then 'Cuba woke up after centuries of domination, to go out to conquer the right of an entire people to their freedom,' to which several generations have devoted their lives.

On October 10, 1868, an armed uprising occurred at La Demajagua sugar mill, in the eastern part of the country, a historic deed that marked the outset of the independence process in Cuba.

Carlos Manuel de Cespedes (1819-1874), who led the group of conspirators carrying out the feat, made the decision to start the war, set his slaves free and invited them to fight for a free Cuba.