Cuba has a new constitution. However, it’s no better than the last one, according to Andres Oppenheimer:
In fact, the new constitution aims to consolidate Latin America’s oldest and most decrepit dictatorship and to make it more difficult for any pro-democracy movement to start changing the system from within.Article 3 of the new Constitution says that “socialism and the social and political revolutionary system established by this Constitution are irrevocable.” It continues saying that “Citizens have the right to combat by all means, including armed struggle, when other means are not available, against anybody who seeks to topple the political, social and economic order established by this Constitution.”Translation: The new constitution says Cuba’s existing hereditary dictatorship can’t be challenged, and nobody can, for instance, create an opposition party to confront it. If somebody dares to challenge the ruling order, “citizens” — the regime’s euphemism for its civilian-clad secret police — can now legally kill the offenders.Article 5 says that “The Communist Party of Cuba, and no one else, guided by the teachings of (independence hero José) Martí, Fidel (Castro) and Marxism Leninism, organized vanguard of the Cuban nation… is the superior leading force of society and the state.”Translation: If anybody had any doubts about what Article 3 meant, the regime made it more explicit here. While a similar clause exists in the 1976 Constitution, it now adds the words “and no one else.”Article 224 says that “under no circumstance can the clauses about the irrevocable nature of socialism and the political and social system established in Article 3…be subject to reforms.”Translation: If there is one thing that can’t legally be changed in the future, it’s the dictatorship’s right to remain in power forever.
So there you have it. The new dictator is just like the old except that he has a new constitution.
It would be interesting to see how advocates of democracy in the West react to this travesty. What we are seeing in Cuba is the consolidation of the Castro family rule with a fellow named Diaz-Canel as the president of the month.
What can President Trump do? Continue to call for real change in Cuba and tighten the screws. In other words, the best way to help the Cuban people is to stop travelling or spending money in Cuba.
Last, but not least, did anyone really think that old communists would turn into liberty loving democrats because they talk about reform or change? I never did.
PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.