The former Cuban political prisoner Armando Valladares defended the 1940 Constitution this Friday as the only legitimate legal framework for a democratic transition in Cuba, emphasizing that it is the first time in his experience in exile that he observes an absolute consensus among the most representative organizations of the Cuban community abroad.
The central argument of Valladares, expressed in an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba, is that this constitution was never formally repealed: "It was set aside by Batista's dictatorship, but it remains and is still in effect."
On June 1st, at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora in Miami, the most important and prestigious organizations of the exile community unanimously agreed to adopt the Constitution of 1940 as the foundational document for the future of Cuba.
"It is the first time I have been at a conference where the most important representatives of the exile were present, and there was not a single disagreement," Valladares stated.
The former prisoner firmly rejected the constitutions drafted by exile groups in their own offices: "We have members of the exile community who are very imaginative and have written their own constitutions, but that has no legal or historical value. Of course, that's already discarded; it's in the trash."
Valladares explained the legal basis of his position: "A constitution cannot be drafted in an office. A constitution requires a constituent assembly that must first be convened by Congress, and then brought to discussion and subsequently to a vote."
In that regard, he emphasized that the 1940 Constitution "meets all the requirements for us to be able to use it immediately" and clarified that it can be discussed and amended in the future, but always within the framework of the law.
Regarding the attempts to impose alternative texts, he was emphatic: "No group from the exile can write a constitution and try to impose it. That is completely unacceptable. No one is going to accept that."
The consensus was led by Cuban businessman Héctor Lanz, whom Valladares described as "this new leader we have at this moment," emphasizing that "he is not a politician, has never participated in any political activity, and has not been a commissioned mayor or a candidate for any political position."
This debate takes place in the context of the statements made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who asserted that there are technocrats within Cuba ready to engage in a transition, comparing the situation to the transitions in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The meeting of the Museum of the Cuban Diaspora included the participation of legal experts, former political prisoners, academics, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders, among them Mayor Daniela Levine Cava and constitutional lawyer Marcel Felipe, according to Diario Las Américas.
Valladares concluded his argument with an assessment of Lanz's historical role: "Héctor Lanz has dedicated himself to this movement, and the 1940 Constitution is definitely the next document for Cuba's future."
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