Cubans are beginning a week of vigils to mark one year since revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died. The anniversary comes on the eve of an election cycle that will see his brother, Raul, step down as president.
Image: Reuters/Prensa Latina
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Cubans on Saturday began paying tribute to their late leader Fidel Castro, who died on November 25 last year, aged 90.
Several events, including vigils, are planned in homage to Castro, who led the communist country from 1959 to 2008 after launching a revolution to overthrow US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista.
Among other things, a ceremony will be held on the steps of the University of Havana, featuring an anthem, "Laurels and Olive Trees," composed by Raul Torres, who also wrote the official song to accompany the nine days of national mourning that followed Castro's death in 2016.
Castro himself studied law at the university, later saying that he became a revolutionary during that period.
Events to mark the anniversary of Castro's death are beginning the day before the start of an electoral process that will ultimately lead to the resignation of Fidel's brother, Raul, as president.
Raul Castro has led Cuba since 2008Image: Reuters/C. Barria
Raul Castro, who is 86, has said he will step down at the end of two consecutive terms, though he will remain leader of the Communist Party.
His brother transferred the presidency to him in 2008 due to ill health and disappeared largely from public view for almost a decade, only occasionally writing newspaper columns and receiving foreign dignitaries at his home.
The government has described the vote, which will end with the selection of a new president in late February, as "the best gift that the Cuban people can make to Fidel."
The resignation of the president will end 60 years of the Castro brothers' rule.
The imminent change of leader comes as the country is struggling under a cash crunch caused by a decline in aid from its ally Venezuela and weaker exports. Its relationship with its giant neighbor, the United States, after improving dramatically under US President Barack Obama, has also worsened again since Donald Trump entered the White House.
After Castro: A snapshot from Cuba
Still reeling from the death of Fidel Castro, Cubans try to hold on to the ideals espoused by the revolutionary leader. Meanwhile, increased tourism and warming relations with the US are affecting their way of life.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Afternoon on the Prado Promenade
At the Paseo del Prado, beside the central square, hotels line the streets. El Capitolio, the seat of the government until the Cuban Revolution in 1959, has now become a place for social gatherings, where Cubans meet each other to exchange gossip and play games.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
New Cuban fighters
Children have their first lesson in Cuban boxing during a training session at Rafael Trejo Boxing School in the Habana Vieja neighborhood.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
The florist of Vedado
"The Cuban government made my dream to be a nurse and help people a reality," said Mirta Gomez, a retired nurse. Before the revolution, educational opportunities in Cuba were reserved for the elite. Once Castro came into power, Gomez was able to study nursing. She spent most of her career at Havana's Central Hospital. She still helps out and trains new nurses. Her new hobby is selling flowers.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Cuba rising
Across Havana, buildings are being renovated to make way for the return of American tourism. As the government authorizes certain private business, hotels and restaurants are leading the construction boom. This building will be a group of "casas particulieres," similar to a bed and breakfast, in the Vedado neighborhood. Cubans need to apply for a license to rent rooms in their homes to foreigners.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
The reader
Francisco Arrosa, 75, reads Granma, the Communist Party newspaper, as he waits for new clients. "We are socialists. What Fidel and the Revolution started, the Cuban people will keep," the car mechanic said. "We may not be wealthy, but every Cuban has access to food, education, healthcare, and housing. These things are the revolution."
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Havana for beginners
Tourists take photos from an old American car driving through Plaza Central. With the decades-long US embargo, vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s were the only option for Cubans for many years. Now, Korean, Chinese, and some European brands are entering the island's market. The old cars continue to be used as taxis or for tourism.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
The internet generation
Along one of Havana's most popular boardwalks, Cubans can check their e-mail or read government-approved websites. In 2015, the Cuban government opened the first public wi-fi hotspots in 35 public locations. However, the internet is one of the most censored in the world and essentially unavailable in private homes.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Keeping the story alive
Canadians make up the largest percentage of Cuba's tourists, but with the resumption of flights and cruise ships from the US, the number of US visitors is expected to surge this year.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Fishermen of Malacon
As an island nation, fishing plays an important role in Cuban culture, including in its cuisine. Generation after generation have made their livelihood on the practice and fish is one of Cuba's biggest exports. US tourism companies already have their eyes on the country's pristine coastal waters.
