IV
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 453
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives 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.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 20, 2002
Mr. PALLONE (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. DAVIS of
Florida, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. SCHIFF, and Mr.
SNYDER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regard-
ing the success of the Varela Project’s collection of
10,000 certified signatures in support of a national ref-
erendum and the delivery of these signatures to the
Cuban National Assembly.
Whereas Article 88 of the Cuban Constitution states that the
Cuban National Assembly should schedule a national ref-
erendum 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;
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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 lib-
erties, 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 sup-
port 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 con-
ditions 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 pro-
mote a peaceful transition to democracy through an ac-
tive policy of supporting the forces of change on the is-
land; and
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Whereas the Varela Project is engaged in the promotion of
a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) supports the constitutional right of the citi-
zens of Cuba who have signed the Varela Project to
petition the Cuban National Assembly for a ref-
erendum;
(2) calls on the Cuban government to accept
the Varela Project petition and, in accordance with
its obligation under Article 88 of the Cuban Con-
stitution, to hold a referendum on civil liberties, in-
cluding freedom of speech, an amnesty for political
prisoners, support for private business, a new elec-
toral 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
•HRES 453 IH
to assert their constitutional right to petition the
National Assembly in support of a referendum; and
(6) urges the President to pursue an action-ori-
ented 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 Clerk of the House of Representatives
shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the President.
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