Carter 'disappointed' by Cuba's handling of Varela Project petition

miami herald ^ | march 19, 2003 | andres oppenheimer, oppenheimer report

[Cincinatus' Wife]

ATLANTA - Former President Jimmy Carter, who 10 months ago made headlines by endorsing a pro-democracy petition in a nationally televised speech during a visit to Cuba, said Tuesday that he is ''disappointed'' by the Cuban regime's lack of response to the request.

In an interview with The Herald, Carter called on Cuba's National Assembly to vote on the Varela Project, the petition signed by 11,020 Cubans on the island that asks for a referendum under the current Cuban laws on whether the island should enact legislative changes guaranteeing freedom of speech, and free elections. Carter, who was chairing three-day conference on ''Financing Democracy in the Americas'' organized by the Carter Center, said that ``we have to be constantly critical of any violation in Cuba of their own Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly, which in my opinion authorizes the Varela Project.''

''I've been disappointed that the National Assembly did not accept the Varela petition and act on that petition, one way or another,'' Carter added. On the other hand, Carter reiterated his opposition to current U.S. policy on Cuba, stating that maintaining the current travel ban and the U.S. trade embargo on the island are ``one of the worst things the United States can do.'' He added: ``The best way to have slow, evolutionary political change is to have unimpeded access to the Cuban people and to the thousands of people in the Cuban government through free visitation.''

During his highly publicized trip to Cuba last May -- the first visit by a sitting or former U.S. president to the island since 1928 -- Carter had used the occasion of a nationally televised speech at the University of Havana to talk about the Varela petition, and to ask that it be allowed to be published in the Cuban media. Because of the Cuban regime's stringent censorship, the referendum request has not been published in Cuba's mass media until now.

Referring to the Cuban government's claims that it could not consider the referendum request because it allegedly demanded constitutional changes, which would require a different procedure under Cuban laws, Carter said, ``I read the Varela petition very carefully, and I read the Cuban Constitution. In my opinion, the Varela petition does not call for constitutional changes. It calls for changes in statutory laws.''

Asked whether he is supporting the nomination of Varela Project leader Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas to win a Nobel peace prize, Carter -- who won the award last year -- smiled and said, ``I don't want to single out one person, but it would please me if anyone who works for freedom or for democracy was honored.'' Carter refused to say whether he has supported any particular nomination.

''That's a private thing for me,'' he said.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

This is what happened after Carter’s visit: Lawmakers Preserve Cuba's Socialism *** HAVANA (AP) - Cuban lawmakers voted unanimously to make socialism an ``irrevocable'' part of the constitution in an effort to ensure the nation will remain socialist long after Fidel Castro is gone. More than 500 members of Cuba's unicameral National Assembly voted late Wednesday to declare that ``capitalism will never return again'' to the Caribbean island.

Deputies' names were called out in alphabetical order and each one stood up and shouted ``Si!'' into a microphone. Of Cuba's 578 deputies, 559 were present and all voted affirmatively. Deputies grew emotional and almost giddy during the tally, eventually applauding loudly after each vote. When the final vote had been declared unanimous, the deputies first stood stoically at attention for the Cuban national anthem, then held hands and swayed back in forth as they sang the socialist anthem, ``Internationale.'' Castro presided over the session and afterward personally greeted many of the lawmakers in the assembly.

Castro, who came to power in the 1959 revolution, declared Cuba's government to be socialist two years later, on the eve of the aborted Bay of Pigs invasion by a U.S.-trained exile army. ``We need socialism more today than ever!'' Castro said before the vote. ``To guarantee the future, a strong ideological base is needed.''

The amendment was proposed because Cuba felt increased pressure at home and abroad to carry out democratic reforms. The proposal originally described Cuba's system as ``untouchable,'' but the National Assembly's commission on constitutional and legal affairs later decided ``irrevocable'' was more precise. Vice President Carlos Lage, a top leader in both the government and the Communist Party, declared, ``The best political system is of just one party. True democracy is socialist. And the only way to defend human rights is in a society of equality and social justice.'' ***

Fidel Castro – Cuba

_______________________________________________________________

After Carter put his “two cents” in Venezuela’s fight to keep Chavez’s from turning the country ingo Cuba II, Chavez’s henchmen started kidnapping, torturing and killing his opponents. Now he has arrested, run off or charged leaders of his opposition.

Hugo Chavez – Venezuela

[friendly]

Thanks "Jimma," you incompetent traitorous worst President of the 20th Century. You sold the freedom fighters of both Cuba and Venezuela to the wolves.

You must be so proud of your liberal buddies, Castro and Chavez.

[csvset]

If and when Castro kicks the bucket, Jimmy Carter would be an ideal replacement. The commies wouldn't notice that Fidel was gone.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bad news in the southern front of the war on terrorism***A little-noticed -- and preposterous -- development is taking place in the southern front of the war on terrorism: Colombia's narco-terrorist guerrillas have scored a big diplomatic victory following the decisions by Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela not to brand them as ``terrorists.'' It was more than a propaganda victory for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the 17,000-strong guerrilla group that, according to Colombian and U.S. officials, was behind the bomb that leveled Bogotá's El Nogal social club last month, killing 35 people -- including six children -- and injuring 175 others.

It was a public snub to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe that seems to have emboldened the FARC, courtesy of the Brazil-Ecuador-Venezuela axis of diplomatic spinelessness. Uribe had been asking neighboring countries to declare the FARC a ''terrorist organization,'' which under United Nations antiterrorism Resolution 1373 would allow them to freeze FARC's bank accounts, crack down on financing for the group, and deny its members refuge in their territories.***

[vt_crosscut]

How come for the first 22 of my 24 years all I knew about Carter was that he was an ex-democratic president that supported Habitat for Humanity. The first time I saw him on tv was President Nixon's funeral. And until recently, I hadn't seen him on tv since. Now he is in the media all the time. Thank God, this socialist only served one term.

[Tom Bombadil]

which in my opinion authorizes the Varela Project

Not even Mr. Castro cares for Jimmy's opinion.....What a tomato Carter is.....

[Pete'sWife]

Mr. Carter...

YOU'RE dissapointed???

How would YOU like to have paid a 14-5/8% mortgage for your first house?

How would YOU like to see prices rise twice as fast as your salary?

How would YOU like to hear from YOUR president that the next generation won't have as good a life as the previous generation?

How would YOU like to be called a whiner?

How would you like to be told that YOUR Nation was suffering from "malaise?"

Go away, you simpering old fool. In spite of your presidency, we managed to recover from the emotional depression you caused.

But God only knows how much money you cost this family.

Mr. Carter, SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thank God, this socialist only served one term.

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Carter loves limelight and dictators.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Mr. Carter, SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP.

The Carters, like all socialists, are too full of themselves and convinced of the righteousness of their agenda, to be bothered by an opposing viewpoint. Oh, they act like they are "peacemakers" but they have never advanced that agenda on a platform of more freedoms, only less freedoms.

[Tallguy]

''I've been disappointed that the National Assembly did not accept the Varela petition and act on that petition, one way or another,'' Carter added.

Whoah Jimmeh! Take it easy, boy. Don't get all worked up about this, you might hurt Fidel's feelings or something!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Yes, we all know what a "sensitive" guy Castro is.

Bump!

[PGalt]

Carter, Clinton, Castro, Communism....degrees of anti-FREEDOM Criminals.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Ragirl]

I've been disappointed in Mr. Carter since 1976!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LOL - You and all free-thinking people.

[oyez]

Comunists are always disapointing. Where whole damned philsophy is based on disapointment. Communism is a sub-human condition.

[albee]

Jimmy's next gig should be as an actor starring in a movie highlighting his life story.

The title?

"USEFUL IDIOT MEETS HIS COMMUNIST FRIENDS!"

[Ole Okie]

The Carters, like all socialists, are too full of themselves and convinced of the righteousness of their agenda, to be bothered by an opposing viewpoint.

But golly, you have to give Jimmah (Nobel laureate - bwaaahaaa) credit for his military genius.

Who but Cahtah could have amassed an expeditionary force of eight (8) helicopters to invade Iran and rescue the hostages?

And who but Cahtah could have forgotten that sand has a deleterious effect on mechanical equipment?

Who but Cahtah could have lost all eight (8) helicopters?

Genius. Sheer genius.

Jimmah, turn the thermostat 'way down and hibernate!!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Democratic Party can sure pick 'em. 2004 should produce another doozie.