- Title: Cubans overwhelmingly ratify new socialist constitution
- Date: 25th February 2019
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (FEBRUARY 25, 2019) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ELECTION OFFICIALS OFFICIAL TAKING OUT RESULTS OF VOTE OFFICIALS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION, ALINA BALSEIRO, SAYING: "Votes for yes are 6,816,169, representing 73.31 percent of the total number of votes in the updated list, and 86.85
- Embargoed: 11th March 2019 22:02
- Keywords: Havana Cuba referendum results
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001A32ZE4N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Cubans have overwhelmingly ratified a new constitution that enshrines the one-party socialist system as irrevocable while instituting modest economic and social changes, according to the national electoral commission.
Alina Balseiro Gutierrez, president of the commission, said at a Havana press conference on Monday (February 25) that preliminary results showed 86.85 percent of the 7.8 million potential voters participated in the Sunday (February 24) referendum.
She said of the potential electorate and not actual votes cast, 71.31 percent ratified the charter, 7.6 percent opposed ratification and 4.5 percent spoiled or left ballots blank.
By comparison, in 1976 when the current constitution was ratified, 99.02 percent of voters in a 98 percent turnout reportedly ratified and just 54,000 were opposed.
There are no independent observers of Cuban elections, however citizens may observe the count at their precincts.
Debate over the constitution has dominated Cuba's politics for months, with the government arguing it represents both continuity of former leader Fidel Castro's policies and adaptation to today's demands and opponents insisting it is a continuation of Communist party rule and oppression.
The government orchestrated a grassroots debate on a draft of the new constitution last year, but after it approved a final version for the referendum in December it used its monopoly of traditional media and public spaces to press for approval.
Nevertheless, dueling campaigns to vote 'yes', 'no' or abstain raged on the internet. The Roman Catholic Church issued a critique read in churches, and many evangelicals said they were opposed.
Dissidents, who were divided between those who advocated a 'no' vote and those who called for abstention so as not to legitimize a process they deemed a fraud, reported a few incidents across the country of members being temporarily detained or harassed.
There are important changes in the new constitution that reflect the gradual opening of the Caribbean island nation since the fall of its former benefactor, the Soviet Union.
There are references to markets and recognition of private property, foreign investment, small businesses, gender identity, the internet, the right to legal representation upon arrest and habeas corpus.
The new constitution would also restructure government, adding a prime minister and setting term limits for the president, among other changes.
(Production: Mario Fuentes / Anett Rios / Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None