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 not present.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the U.S. government during the ceremony.
He claimed Washington tried to destroy Cuba and occupy it.
Citizens in Havana readied for the ceremonies.
They did this despite this with serious water problems, caused by ongoing power shortages.