HAVANA - Hundreds of thousands of Cubans marched through the streets of Havana Friday to protest against new U.S. economic sanctions against the country.
People wearing red shirts and soldiers in uniform waved white, blue and red Cuban flags as they walked along the capital's waterfront and past the U.S. diplomatic mission.
Many shouted slogans against U.S. President George W. Bush during a protest lasting more than three hours.
Cuban officials said more than a million people took part in the government-organized march.
Last week, Bush decided to allow Cuban Americans to visit relatives in Cuba only once every three years and lowered their daily spending limit while on the island to $70 from $228.
He also prohibited Americans from sending money to Cuban government officials and members of the ruling Communist Party.
In a speech Friday, Cuban President Fidel Castro called last week's measures by the White House "ruthless and cruel" and called Bush a "fraudulently elected leader" trying to impose his "tyranny" on the world.
'No right to intervene': Castro
Castro said the U.S. has "no right whatsoever, except for that of brute force, to intervene in Cuba's affairs… and proclaim the transition from one system to another."
Experts say the U.S. sanctions will make little difference to the estimated $800 million US that flows to Cuba each year.
But the Cuban government warned of tough times ahead.
It suspended sales of everything except food, gasoline and toiletries in U.S. dollar stores in the country.
Castro accused the Bush administration of pandering to Cuban-American voters in Florida.
"You are attacking Cuba for petty, political reasons, trying to obtain electoral support from a shrinking group of renegades," he said.
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