Raul Castro has been chosen to take over his brother's place as supreme leader of Cuba.
One of the facts I wish that the defenders and those who seek to rationalize his 49 years of rule, would explain - assuming that they are even aware - that Fidel Castro was a signatory to the Sierra Maestra Manifesto, which called for, among other things, to restore all the provisions of the Constitution of 1940, which Batista had revoked.
The Constitution of 1940 was a model of progressive thought. It called for the abolishment of latifundia, the implementation of land reform, six weeks paid maternity leave, abolishment of child labor for children under 14, an 8 hour workday for those over 18 (6 hours for those 14-18), one month paid vacation per year, abolished the death penalty except for treason and for military law, and several other provisions that certainly seem to be completely progressive.
It also carried this provision:
ART. 139. To be President of the Republic it is necessary:
1st. To be Cuban by birth, but if this status results from the provision
in Clause (d) [i.e., 4th Clause] of Article 12 of this Constitution, it
shall be necessary to have served with the armed forces of Cuba in the
Wars of Independence for at least ten years.
2nd. To have reached thirty-five years of age.
3rd. To be in full enjoyment of civil and political rights.
4th. Not to have belonged to the armed forces of the Republic in active
service during the year immediately preceding the date of designation as
presidential candidate.
ART. 140. The President of the Republic shall be elected by universal,
equal, direct, and secret suffrage, in a single day, for a term of four
years, in conformity with the procedure that the law may establish.
The computing of the vote shall be made by Provinces. The number of
provincial votes equal to the total of Senators and Representatives, who,
in conformity with the law, have the function of choosing the electoral
college of the respective Province, shall be counted in favor of the candidate
who obtains the greatest number of votes in each of the Provinces, and
the candidate shall be considered elected who receives the greatest number
of provincial votes accumulated throughout the Republic.
A person who has once held the office may not discharge it again for
eight years after having left office. [my emphasis]
So rather than reestablish a constitution that would not provide an indefinite mandate, in defiance with his commitment, Castro chose to abandon a constitution that would have probably been the most progressive in Latin America at that time and instead, created one that cemented his rule for 49 years.
It's not about the health care or the literacy. It's all about the power - and nothing more.
Recent Comments