Did Cuba Violate Its Own Constitution

[Viva Fidel]

BEFORE PEOPLE SHIT TALK, I am a great supporter of Cuba & Fidel (hence the username).

I came upon this reading the 'Elections in Cuba' wiki article.

"Article #88(h) of the Cuban Constitution [15] allows for legislative proposals backed by at least 10,000 citizens to be submitted directly to the National Assembly. In 2002, however, the government rejected a legislative proposal known as the Varela Project, supporters of which submitted 11,000 signatures calling for a national referendum on political and economic reforms. In response, the government arrested, charged and convicted dozens of activists in March 2003 who had participated in the project for "accepting illegal funding from the head of the United States special interest section in Havana." In October 2003, Project Varela organizers submitted a second legislative proposal to the National Assembly with an additional 14,000 signatures. The government rejected both of these legislative proposal per Article #75(b) of the constitution."

Is this propaganda or does anyone know more about this?

[Commie Girl]

Accepting funding from a foreign government most likely invalidated the petition.

[Severian]

No, the Cuban government did not violate the constitution.

Text of the 1992 constitution. (http://www.cubanet.org/ref/dis/const_92_e.htm)

Article 88 says, in part:
"ARTICLE 88. The proposal of laws is the responsibility of:.....
h) the citizens. In this case it is an indispensable prerequisite that the proposal be made by at least 10 000 citizens who are eligible to vote."

There is nothing in that article or any other which requires that the proposal be accepted, or saying a referendum must be held when a petition asks for one.

In fact, article 137 states that the consistution can only be amended by the National Assembly, or by a referendum called by the National Assembly.

Article 88h says they can propose a law, they proposed one, the National Assembly just didn't accept it. Where's the violation?

Amnesty International gives a more factually accurate, though still anticommunist, version:
The “Todos Unidos” (“All Together”) movement sponsored the Proyecto Varela petition for a referendum on fundamental freedoms. On 10 May Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas of the Movimiento Cristiano Liberación, Christian Liberation Movement, and other Proyecto Varela leaders presented more than 11,000 signatures to the National Assembly demanding a referendum on fundamental freedoms. Shortly afterwards, former US President Carter arrived in Cuba and, in an unprecedented move, was allowed to address the nation in a live broadcast. He supported the Proyecto Varela petition and discussed a range of human rights matters.

On 12 June, the authorities organized a massive march in support of a new referendum initiative which would maintain the existing system. On 20 June, a petition signed by a reported 99 per cent of Cuban voters was submitted to the National Assembly calling for reaffirmed commitment to socialism. Six days later, the National Assembly voted unanimously in favour of a Constitutional amendment declaring the socialist system irrevocable and making it illegal in future for lawmakers to attempt to change it. Proyecto Varela supporters declared that this was a response to their initiative, but the authorities stated that it was in response to calls from US President Bush for a change of government in Cuba.

I'm gonna edit that Wikipedia article and give sources.