[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 11, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    UPDATE ON CUBA'S PROJECT VARELA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, in May of 2002, over 11,000 Cuban citizens 
took a courageous stand and petitioned the Cuban National Assembly to 
hold a nationwide referendum vote on guarantees of human rights and 
civil liberties. Named for the 19th century priest and Cuban 
independence hero, Padre Felix Varela, the Varela Project was the 
first-ever peaceful challenge to Castro's four-decade-long control of 
the island.
  With its 11,000-plus signatures, the project qualified under article 
88 of the Cuban constitution, which states that if the Cuban National 
Assembly receives the verified signatures of 10,000 legal voters, a 
referendum on the issue should be scheduled. Varela was the first-ever 
attempt to try and work within the system to bring about change in 
Cuba.
  Not surprisingly, Mr. Speaker, instead of allowing his parliament to 
consider Project Varela, Fidel Castro introduced his own so-called 
``referendum'' that would stop future consideration of Project Varela 
and any other democratic reform efforts. Then, late last month, a Cuban 
legislative committee threw out the project, officially putting an end 
to Varela's hopes for peaceful reform.
  Despite this, Mr. Speaker, the project is far from over. The true aim 
of the project was not to win political support, but to bring hope to 
the Cuban people that peaceable change is possible. Oswaldo Paya and 
Varela's other organizers have worked to educate the Cuban people 
citizen by citizen and bring the struggles of the Cuban people to the 
world stage. It is my hope that many of my colleagues will support this 
project and it will continue.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude with one final note. In 
response to questions regarding the future of the Varela project, 
Varela's organizer Oswaldo Paya said only, ``Our Varela Project 
continues. It's a campaign to inform the Cuban people and we will 
continue until all Cubans achieve their rights.'' I want to commend 
those involved in Project Varela, that they continue for a long time.

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