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June 25, 2002.
National Assembly Underway in Cuba
By Anita Snow, Associated Press Writer. Mon Jun 24, 3:51 PM
ET
HAVANA (AP) - The National Assembly president attacked President Bush's
vision for Cuba on Monday as millions of workers across the island got two days
off to watch a televised special session called to enshrine socialism as "untouchable."
Ricardo Alarcon referred to Bush supporters in Miami's Cuban exile community
and declared that the American president wanted the communist island to return
to the brutality and corruption of pre-revolutionary Cuba.
"Does Mr. Bush really think that he will return to sink us in this hell
of injustice?" Alarcon asked.
"Does he imagine for a moment that we are going to turn over to that
corrupt and criminal mafia our lands, our homes, our factories, our schools and
hospitals, our research and cultural centers, our child care centers, our
retirement homes?" Alarcon said.
"Does he perhaps suppose that Cubans will renounce the work they have
realized, that they will turn over their sovereignty, betray their history and
their nation?" Alarcon said.
In a major policy speech last month, Bush promised not to lift American
trade and travel restrictions until Cuba holds multiparty elections and
undertakes other deep reforms.
Saying it was responding to Bush, Cuba's pro-government organizations last
week carried out a signature drive supporting a constitutional amendment to make
Cuba's economic, political and social systems unchangeable.
After the groups delivered more than 8 million signatures representing more
than 99 percent of Cuban voters, Fidel Castro called a parliamentary session to
consider the constitutional change.
The leadership's decision to close most offices, factories and stores for
two full days during its current cash crunch underscored the importance it
places on the constitutional change.
"We will make stronger, more indestructible, the work of the
revolution," lawmaker and former revolutionary commander Ramiro Valdez said
in the session, broadcast live on state television and radio.
The measure initially was expected to be considered during a regular
parliamentary session July 5, but Alarcon asked Castro to call a special session
to consider it earlier.
Opposition leaders say the signature campaign was the government's response
to their own petition, which collected more than 11,000 signatures. They have
also questioned whether all of those signing the official petition did so of
their own free will.
Known as the Varela Project, the opposition's petition seeks a referendum
asking voters if they favor reforms such as freedom of expression, the right to
own a business and an amnesty for political prisoners.
Most Cubans first heard of Varela Project last month in a speech by former
President Carter when he visited the island. Its proposals have not been
published in the state media.
It remained unclear what impact the government's own constitutional
amendment would have on the Varela Project.
Parliament Session Begins in Cuba
Mon Jun 24,12:20 Pm Et . By Anita Snow, Associated Press
Writer
HAVANA (AP) - Millions of workers across this communist island were given
Monday and Tuesday off to watch a televised special parliamentary session to
consider amending the Cuban constitution to make the socialist system "untouchable."
The communist leadership's decision to close all offices, factories and
stores for two full days during its current cash crunch underscored the
importance it places on the proposed amendment that would make Cuba's economic,
political and social systems unchangeable.
"We will make stronger, more indestructible, the work of the
revolution," lawmaker and former revolutionary commander Ramiro Valdez said
in the early part of the session, which was being broadcast live on state
television and radio.
"Socialism is full independence, justice," said Ramirez, who
fought with Fidel Castro against the Fulgencio Batista government in the late
1950s and is now among a handful of survivors who carry the honorary title "Comandante
of the Revolution."
Hospitals, transportation and other essential services will not be
interrupted, but schools were closed and previously scheduled semester-end
examinations will be postponed.
Castro called the special parliamentary session over the weekend. The
measure had been expected to be considered during a regular session of the
National Assembly, Cuba's unicameral parliament, on July 5. But National
Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon on Friday asked Castro to call a special
session because the proposal is so historically significant.
The constitutional change was the subject of a campaign by the communist
system's national support groups, which say they gathered 8.1 million signatures
— more than 99 percent of the island's legal voters aged 16 and older.
Opposition leaders say the signature campaign was the government's response
to their own petition, which collected more than 11,000 signatures. They have
also questioned whether all of those signing the official petition did so of
their own free will.
Known as the Varela Project, the opposition's petition seeks a referendum
asking voters if they favor reforms such as freedom of expression, the right to
own a business and an amnesty for political prisoners.
Most Cubans first heard of Varela Project last month in a speech by former
President Jimmy Carter when he visited the island. But the majority do not know
what it proposes because it has not been published in the state media.
Organizers of Varela Project campaign delivered their petitions to the
National Assembly on May 10 and have received no response. It still remained
unclear what impact the government's own constitutional amendment would have on
the Varela Project.
Varela Project supports say that the official campaign to declare Cuban
socialism "untouchable" is the government's response to their own
drive to force a democratic opening in this closed society.
The government, however, maintains it is protesting statements last month by
President Bush that American travel and trade restrictions with the communist
island would not be eased unless Cuba embraces democracy. | 
