HAVANA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Fidel Castro was absent Tuesday from May Day's celebration in Havana, which was instead presided by first Vice-President Raul Castro.

    Castro had an operation nine months ago.

    May Day activity, an event the Cuban leader had attended for decades without fail, began at 08:00 local time at Jose Marti Revolution Plaza.

    The participants were dressed in red, blue and white pullovers --the national flag colors -- and held flags of Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and other Latin American countries.

    In the hours before the march began, Fidel Castro reportedly issued the latest in a series of new communiques he has been writing in recent weeks. ¡¡