Cuban President Raul Castro set for 26 July speech

BBC News Havana

Monday's celebrations recall the start of the Cuban revolution

Cuban President Raul Castro is set to make one of his rare televised speeches at the annual 26 July rally which marks the start of the revolution in 1953.

Many Cubans will be hoping that he will use the event to move on his long-awaited economic reforms.

There is also interest in whether his brother Fidel Castro will appear.

Fidel, who turns 84 next month, has made six public outings over the past fortnight, the first since he stepped down to undergo major surgery in 2006.

President Raul Castro confounded critics last month by agreeing to release large numbers of political prisoners.

Now Cubans are waiting to see if he turns his attention to tackling the island's crippled state-run economy where average wages are barely $20 a month.

Fidel Castro made a rare trip outside Havana at the weekend

But many will also be glued to their televisionaa sets to see if his elder brother Fidel Castro will be at his side.

The annual 26 July rally marks the anniversary of the first battle of the Cuban revolution when Fidel, along with Raul, led an attack on the Moncada barracks.