The Cuban President Fidel Castro was the big absent on Tuesday, at May Day Celebrations in Cuba. Still the Labor Day was celebrated by tens of thousands Cubans with parades and rallies across the country.

Speculation had been rife that the veteran leader would emerge May 1, with expectations heightened by the publication earlier in the day of a new press article bearing Castro's name and again slamming US intentions to boost the use of ethanol alongside Brazil.

The Castro's place at the Cuba's biggest parade was taken by his brother, Raul Castro. Fidel Castro appeared in public for the last time nine months ago, on July 26. Since then he is recovering after a stomach surgery.

Still, in this time, Castro receiv received a top-ranking envoy from Chinese President Hu Jintao on April 21, and also sent letters in recent days to his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez and to the Argentinian Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.