THE EMILIA PROJECT

This project, steeped in a deep love of country, takes its name from a Cuban hero, a woman who dedicated the best part of her fruitful life, to the struggle for Cuban freedom and independence.

We are referring to Emilia Teurbe Tolón, who, in 1950, on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of our national flag, was given the title of Embodiment of the Cuban Woman by the Congress of the Republic of Cuba.

Emilia was the first Cuban woman to be forced into exile due to political reasons. She also had the honor of sewing the first Cuban flag which was designed by her husband, poet Miguel Teurbe Tolón, at the request of General Narciso López. Belonging to a wealthy family, Emilia had the human sensitivity to donate her fortune towards the education of the poor.

Those of us who endorse this document, inspired by her patriotic example, intend to carry out this project whose essential objectives are to conquer basic human rights, democracy and liberty for the Cuban people.

We start from the premise that Cuba’s Communist regime bases its legitimacy on the 1976 Constitution and its 2003 modifications.

In article 69, this Constitution designates la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) as the State’s entity of power. It adds that said assembly represents the sovereign will of the people.

To avoid any doubts, article 70 affirms that the Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular(National Assembly of the People’s Power) is the only entity with constitutional and legislative power in the Republic of Cuba.

In That: For years we have reaffirmed that the Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has transgressed by relinquishing its sovereign rights and powers to the Council of State as the State’s seat of Power.

In That: We have verified that the Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has passively complied with and given legal power to all the decree-laws adopted by the Council of State.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has lost its sovereign power by accepting the control of the Council of State in convening extraordinary sessions.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has worked against our people’s liberty by allowing the Council of State to declare ideological, social and political ideas that are contrary to the interests of the Cuban people as irrevocable in the National Constitution.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has not allowed for respect for the opinion of minorities, although it is permitted in the most advanced constitutions in the world, and has granted extreme power to compliant majorities.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly for the People’s Power) has violated the constitutional principle of separation and independence of powers, it has given the Council of State the power of setting guidelines and imposing decisions on the Judicial Power.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly for the People’s Power) has disregarded the will of the people and limited the freedom of citizens by subordinating to itself the Asambleas Locales del Poder Popular (Local Assemblies of the People’s Power).

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has stipulated that the Asambleas Locales del Poder Popular (Local Assemblies of the People’s Power) are subordinate to the Council of State.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has suffocated freedom of expression, assembly, speech and press for those not in alignment with the politics and ideology of the State.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has given the government the authority to strip away citizenship from Cubans born within the national territory.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power), by ignoring the measures that have plunged our people into misery and despair, has become an accomplice to this infamy.

In That: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) has exalted a party above the state and nation.

Thus: We declare that these laws compiled in the Constitution of 1976 constitute an abuse of power and a flagrant violation of the dignity of Cuban citizens.

Thus: The Constitution of 1976, modified in 2003, permanently institutionalizes the communist regime of Cuba.

Thus: The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) lacks all validity and ceases to be the expression of the will of the Cuban people by granting to the Council of State all the prerogatives consecrated to the Cuban Constitution.

We believe that the current Communist Constitution violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations.

We agree to declare illegitimate the Communist Constitution, the Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (National Assembly of the People’s Power) and all its representative bodies of State power.

We convocate the Cuban people to subscribe to this proyect to take steps towards a sovereign, democratic, free and just Cuba.

We proclaim that the new democratic and free Parliament, risen from these demands, be declared a Constituent Assembly and that it draft a Constitution that respects the dignity of all Cubans.

We insist that the constitution contain the foundations of democracy and freedom for which so many of our compatriots have struggled and offered their life since our wars of independence.

We demand that the legal order of our homeland has as its basis the democratic principles that prevail in other nations of the civilized world.

These are: sovereignty of the people, majority rule, rights of minorities, guarantee of basic human rights, free and transparent elections, equality before the law, due judicial process, constitutional limitations to government, balance of independent powers, social, economic and political pluralism, as well as the values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation and compromise.

Unfortunately, we have witnessed throughout more years than we wish to remember, how the Cuban communist regime has not conceded an atom of freedom and has in an arbitrary and rigid manner resisted any change that guarantees a dignified life for our people.

Therefore, we have no alternative but to set in motion a peaceful political challenge to make the freedom of our people a reality. For that, we plead your help and God’s protection. As well, we ask the Creator’s guidance in this just cause of attaining liberty and prosperity for the Cuban people.

LONG LIVE FREE CUBA!

Given in Havana, Republic of Cuba, on the third day of January in the year 2013.

Directores del Proyecto Emilia

Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet González, Carlos Manuel Pupo Rodríguez, Jorge Omar Lorenzo Pimienta, Angel Pablo Polanco García, Agustín Figueroa Galindo, Roberto Azcuy y Alfredo M. Cepero.

For further information, we suggest that you call Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet, in Havana at (Residence): 011-537-699-1774, (Mobil): 011-535-385-6925, Roberto Azcuy in Miami at 786-305-3230 or Alfredo M. Cepero in Miami at 305 -322-7111.

PROJECT EMILIA'S STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

Stage 1: Develop means of communication geared to having citizens gain knowledge of the Project.

Stage 2: Attain considerable work organization to facilitate the collection of rubrics in support of the Project.

Stage 3: Promote strategies to organize an assembly of people noted for their development of the Project to allow for the establishment of a civic-humanitarian organization of significance in the nation.

Stage 4: Encourage encounters of convergences in political and economic ideas and ideologies that will define a program to be implemented in the country.

Stage 5: Consolidate the framework for Project Emilia. Implement the program designed in the previous stage.

Stage 6: Initiate a period of transition towards the consolidation of democracy and liberty in our country.