Cuba conducted its key annual celebration July 26 event in Santiago de Cuba.
This underscores 73 years in the wake of the 1953 Moncada Barracks attack.
Raúl Castro was away.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel commented on the U.S. government in his speech.
He claimed Washington tried to destroy Cuba and take its land.
Citizens in Havana readied for the ceremonies.
They did this despite this with serious water shortages, caused by chronic power shortages.