'Cuba Libre' message painted outside Cuba's U.S. embassy in Washington

The message "Cuba Libre" or 'free Cuba', is seen painted in giant block lettering on the street directly in front of the Cuban embassy in this frame grab from video shot in Washington, U.S., July 16, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Fogarty

(Reuters) - "Cuba Libre" was painted in giant block letters on the street directly in front of the Cuban embassy in Washington on Friday following unprecedented protests on the Communist-led island last weekend.

The phrase - which literally means 'free Cuba' - has long been associated with both Cuban independence from Spain and later its 1959 revolution.