Raul Castro says Cuba revolution faces years of struggle

Cuba's revolution is stronger than ever but faces"incessant struggle" against the threat of the United States, President Raul Castro said on Thursday in a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the uprising that its leader, Fidel Castro, was too ill to attend.

Raul Castro spoke proudly of the 1959 revolution that transformed the Caribbean island into a communist state 90 miles (145 km) from U.S. shores, but he warned the country must not let down its guard.

"The enemy will never cease to be aggressive, treacherous and dominant," he said."It is time to reflect on the future, on the next 50 years when we shall continue to struggle incessantly ... I'm not trying to scare anyone, this is the truth."