Posted on 06/26/2002 9:09:25 PM PDT by HAL9000
The cuban Parliament votes unanimously for an "irrevocable" socialism
Thursday June 27, 2002 - 3h19 GMT
Havana, June 26 (AFP) - the cuban Parliament approved Wednesday evening unanimously, after three days of extraordinary session, an amendment registering in an intangible way socialism in the cuban Constitution.
On Commission proposal of the legal businesses of the French National Assembly of the popular capacity (Parliament), the term of "intouchable "contained in the original proposal of amendment, was changed into" irrevocable ".
The vote, one "yes" aloud of the deputies alphabetically, was preceded by the comments of president Fidel Castro which, during more than three hours, explained why it was basically a question "of guaranteeing the future, to establish the ideological bases so that the country can never return behind".
With the exit of the vote, the deputies entonné the cuban national anthem and "the International one".
Fidel Castro justified the amendment by indicating that in theory "it would have been possible that the national assembly changes the socialist character of the revolution".
Now, it added, "there is not any more the theoretical possibility" of the return to capitalism and the enemies "will not be able to tackle the legal character" of the amendment.
Work of the Parliament extended over three days from extraordinary session marathon, that the cuban government issued public holidays so that the population can follow the debates to television, paralysing almost all the economic activities of the country.
Work has proceeded for Monday morning in the presence of cuban president Fidel Castro and of the General Raul Castro, head of the forces armed and number two with the mode, and 168 deputies and guests spoke to defend socialism.
The amendment with the Constitution of 1976 in particular ratifies "expressly the will of the people that the economic, political and social mode registered in the Constitution of the Republic is irrevocable".
According to the president of the cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, 559 deputies affiliated to the cuban Communist Party (single) - on a total of 601- voted.
The session was preceded, 12 June last, of a "long walk", gigantic and new, of more than nine million people ravelling with the four corners of the island and a campaign of signatures approving with 99,25% of the Cubans registered on the electoral rolls the constitutional amendment.
Cuban lawmakers begin vote to declare socialist system 'irrevocable'
By ANITA SNOW - Associated Press Writer
HAVANA, Jun 26, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Cuba's parliament voted unanimously to consecrate its 41-year-old socialist system in the constitution as "irrevocable" and declare that "capitalism will never return again" to this Caribbean island.
After a special meeting of three long days that carried late into the evenings, the voice vote late Wednesday by more than 500 members of Cuba's unicameral National Assembly took about 45 minutes.
After 168 speeches overwhelmingly in favor of the constitutional amendment, the deputies' names were called out in alphabetical order and each one stood up and shouted "Si!" into a microphone. Of Cuba's 578 deputies, 559 were present and all voted affirmatively.
Deputies grew emotional and almost giddy during the tally, eventually applauding loudly after each vote. When the final vote had been declared unanimous, the deputies first stood stoically at attention for the Cuban national anthem, then held hands and swayed back in forth as they sang the socialist anthem "Internationale."
Presiding over the session was Fidel Castro, who afterward personally greeted many of the lawmakers in the assembly.
Castro, who came to power in the 1959 revolution, declared Cuba's government to be socialist two years later, on the eve of the aborted Bay of Pigs invasion by a U.S.-trained exiled army.
"We need socialism more today than ever!" Castro said before the vote. "To guarantee the future, a strong ideological base is needed."
The proposal for the amendment was made as Cuba felt increased pressure from at home and abroad to carry out democratic reforms.
Originally, the proposal had called for describing Cuba's system as "untouchable," but the National Assembly's commission on constitutional and legal affairs later decided the word "irrevocable" was more precise.
The commission also added the clause stating that capitalism would never again return to Cuba. Once approved, the commission said in a report, "it cannot be the object of change or modifications that alter its essential content."
"The best political system is of just one party," Vice President Carlos Lage, a top leader in both the government and the Communist Party, declared earlier Wednesday. "True democracy is socialist. And the only way to defend human rights is in a society of equality and social justice."
"For our people to return to the past is undesirable, unthinkable, impossible" Lage said of Washington's recent demands that Cuba embrace capitalism and U.S.-style democracy. "The homeland is sacred, the revolution is unconquerable and socialism is irrevocable."
At 50, Lage is among the younger high-ranking government officials expected to help guide Cuba after the passing of Castro, and his brother and designated successor, Defense Minister Raul Castro.
The sessions, broadcast live on state television and radio, were supposed to run Monday and Tuesday but stretched into a third day. A nationwide work stoppage was declared all three days, closing banks, schools, offices and many stores and factories.
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said late Tuesday that the measure is necessary to protect the current system after the Castro brothers die. It was a rare public reference to their mortality.
The proposed constitutional amendment is "key," said Perez Roque, to "what we do when the generation that carried out the revolution, and the command of it today, the generation of Fidel, of Raul ... is no longer with us."
"The key is not to be disarmed of our ideas," said the foreign minister, who at 37 is among the youngest of the ranking officials in the communist government.
Fidel Castro, who will be 76 in August, and Raul Castro, 71, presided over the gathering of nearly 600 National Assembly deputies gathered for the special session. They both are also members of parliament.
The government says the proposed amendment is its answer to U.S. President George W. Bush's refusal last month to lift American trade and travel restrictions until the Caribbean island undertakes reforms, including multiparty elections.
Government opponents said the measure also appears aimed at undermining the Varela Project, which seeks a referendum on whether voters favor guarantees for liberties such as freedom of expression and the right to own a business.
Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
unicameral....there you have it, the very definition of socialism.
A distinction without a difference. Fascism is Fascism. Castro might as well just declore himself "President for life", as do the leftist dictators in Africa. But then, he still thinks he is fooling some people -- hint: American leftists.
The good folks of Nebraska would be stunned by your statement.
Nebraska is the only state in the Union which has a unicameral legislature. That is, a legislative arm composed of a single house, rather than two.
Were you, perhaps, thinking of "one-party rule"?
The Cuban Parliament votes unanimously for an "irrevocable" socialism.
LOL
Communists ARE "liars"!!
LOL
Maybe, just maybe there 'is' a NEW revolt-solution in the making!!
LOL
/sarcasm
And what do you suppose would have happened to anyone who voted otherwise?
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