Constitution of Cuba

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Since attaining its independence from Spain, Cuba has had five constitutions. The current constitution was drafted in 1976 and has since been amended.

1 1901 Constitution
2 1934 Constitution
3 1935 Constitution
4 1940 Constitution
5 1976 Constitution
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] 1901 Constitution

The 1901 Constitution was Cuba's first as an independent state. It contained the Platt Amendment, which allowed the United States to intervene in Cuba's affairs to protects its independence.

The 1901 Constitution was indeed a carbon copy of the Constitution written at La Yara in 1896, and met with fierce opposition from its principal author Major General José Braulio Alemán who strongly opposed the Platt Amendment.

It was Alemán's contention that Cuba should be and remain "Libre y Soberana", Free and Sovereign; and that the Platt Amendment just traded Spain's strong arm tactics on the island for the yoke of American imperialism.

[edit] 1934 Constitution

Cuba's second constitution came into effect in 1934. This constitution enables and gives the United States the right to "intervene for the preservation of Cuban Independence."

[edit] 1935 Constitution

Cuba's third constitution came into effect in 1935.

[edit] 1940 Constitution

In 1940, during the de facto presidency of Fulgencio Batista, a constitution was created. It was influenced by all segments of political society. Widely considered one of the most progressive constitutions in existence at the time, it provided for land reform, public education, minimum wage and other progressive ideas. These ideas were not implemented and its provisions were not enforced.

Throughout the 1940s and into the 1950s, corruption was widespread within Cuban politics.

In 1952, Batista suspended the Constitution of 1940 following a coup d'etat.

One of the goals for which the Cuban Revolution was fought was the reinstating of the 1940 Constitution.

[edit] 1976 Constitution

The Constitution was adopted by the national referendum on February 15 and came into effect on February 24, 1976.

[edit] Reasons for Creation

After consolidating power, the revolutionary government of Cuba sought to institutionalize the revolution. To this end, in 1976, it adopted a new Constitution. This constitution provided for a system of government and law based on those of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries.

[edit] Provisions

This constitution guaranteed the availability of several social programs, such as free education and health care and provides for citizens initiative.

[edit] Amendments

In the late 1980s, as the Eastern Bloc collapsed, the laws of Cuba changed again to respond to the new conditions of the Special Period. The Constitutional amendments of 1992 recognized forms of non-socialist property (joint ventures between Cuba and foreign entities, corporations, other economic associations) and provided for non-discrimination based on religious belief (i.e., allowing persons with religious belief to join the Communist Party of Cuba).

In 2002, the Constitution was again amended to make the socialist system permanent and irrevocable.