[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 65 (Monday, May 20, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  STATEMENTS ON SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 272--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE 
    SUCCESS OF THE VARELA PROJECT'S COLLECTION OF 10,000 CERTIFIED 
  SIGNATURES IN SUPPORT OF A NATIONAL REFERENDUM AND THE DELIVERY OF 
            THESE SIGNATURES TO THE CUBAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

  Mr. NELSON of Florida submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 272

       Whereas Article 88 of the Cuban Constitution states that 
     the Cuban National Assembly should schedule a national 
     referendum if it receives the verified signatures of 10,000 
     legal voters;
       Whereas on May 10, 2002, a group of Cuban citizens led by 
     Oswaldo Paya delivered 11,020 verified signatures to the 
     Cuban National Assembly in support of a referendum;
       Whereas Mr. Paya's petition drive is inspired by the 19th-
     century priest and Cuban independence hero, Padre Felix 
     Varela, and is known as the Varela Project;
       Whereas the Varela Project seeks a referendum on civil 
     liberties, including freedom of speech, amnesty for political 
     prisoners, support for private business, a new electoral law, 
     and a general election;
       Whereas the Varela Project is supported by 140 opposition 
     organizations in Cuba and has received no money or support 
     from foreign citizens or foreign governments;
       Whereas the Varela Project is the largest petition drive in 
     Cuban history;
       Whereas the Varela Project seeks amnesty for all of those 
     who have been detained, sanctioned, or jailed for political 
     motives and who have not participated in acts directly 
     threatening the lives of others;
       Whereas the Varela Project seeks to guarantee citizens the 
     right to form private businesses, to carry out economic 
     activities that could be productive and of service, and to 
     establish contracts between workers and businesses for the 
     development of these businesses in fair and just conditions 
     so that no one may obtain profits by exploiting the work of 
     others;
       Whereas the Varela Project is a step in moving Cuba toward 
     achieving international standards for human rights;
       Whereas the goal of United States policy in Cuba is to 
     promote a peaceful transition to democracy through an active 
     policy of supporting the forces of change on the island; and
       Whereas the Varela Project is engaged in the promotion of a 
     peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the constitutional right of the citizens of 
     Cuba who have signed the Varela Project to petition the Cuban 
     National Assembly for a referendum;
       (2) calls on the Cuban government to accept the Varela 
     Project petition and, in accordance with its obligation under 
     Article 88 of the Cuban Constitution, to hold a referendum on 
     civil liberties, including freedom of speech, an amnesty for 
     political prisoners, support for private business, a new 
     electoral law, and a general election;
       (3) praises the bravery of Oswaldo Paya and his colleagues 
     in collecting 11,020 verified signatures in support of the 
     Varela Project;
       (4) calls on the Cuban government to provide its citizens 
     with internationally accepted standards for civil and human 
     rights, and the opportunity to vote in free and fair 
     elections;
       (5) urges the President and his representatives to take all 
     appropriate steps to support the Varela Project and any 
     future efforts by the Cuban people to assert their 
     constitutional right to petition the National Assembly in 
     support of a referendum; and
       (6) urges the President to pursue an action-oriented policy 
     of directly assisting the Cuban people and independent 
     organizations to strengthen the forces of change and to 
     improve human rights in Cuba.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to the President.

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