Christian Democratic Party of Cuba
Encyclopedia
The Christian Democratic Party of Cuba (Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Cuba) is a Christian Democratic
political party in Cuba
. Although changes to the Cuban constitution in 1992 decriminalized the act of forming political parties other than the Communist Party of Cuba
, these parties are not permitted to campaign or engage in any public political activities on the island. The Christian Democratic Party (CD) has the largest structure of any oppositional Cuban parties. A smaller group within the Party called Cristo del Rey (CR) broke away in 1996. The president of the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba is Cuban exile Marcelino Miyares Sotolongo
and the international secretary is José Ignacio Rasco, also in exile. Rasco, who founded the Cuban Christian Democratic Party in 1959 is a professor, writer and columnist. In addition, he is President of the Jacques Maritain Institute of Cuba and also President of Editorial Cubana.
The party's manifesto, (created in Miami 1991) states; "We have made the decision to found the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba because we wish to offer a political alternative to our mother country in the fight for human rights, economic development and social justice within a democratic and pluralistic framework." The party invokes the legacy of Simón Bolívar
and José Martí
, whom they say "conceived Latin America as a brotherhood of shared, common and sovereign nations." The Christian Democratic Party of Cuba are publicly against all foreign intervention in Cuba, and declare their opposition to the United States embargo
.
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
political party in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Although changes to the Cuban constitution in 1992 decriminalized the act of forming political parties other than the Communist Party of Cuba
Communist Party of Cuba
The Communist Party of Cuba is the governing political party in Cuba. It is a communist party of the Marxist-Leninist model. The Cuban constitution ascribes the role of the Party to be the "leading force of society and of the state"...
, these parties are not permitted to campaign or engage in any public political activities on the island. The Christian Democratic Party (CD) has the largest structure of any oppositional Cuban parties. A smaller group within the Party called Cristo del Rey (CR) broke away in 1996. The president of the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba is Cuban exile Marcelino Miyares Sotolongo
Marcelino Miyares Sotolongo
Marcelino Miyares Sotolongo is a Cuban-American marketing executive and the current President of the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba, the largest political party in Cuba other than the Communist Party of Cuba....
and the international secretary is José Ignacio Rasco, also in exile. Rasco, who founded the Cuban Christian Democratic Party in 1959 is a professor, writer and columnist. In addition, he is President of the Jacques Maritain Institute of Cuba and also President of Editorial Cubana.
The party's manifesto, (created in Miami 1991) states; "We have made the decision to found the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba because we wish to offer a political alternative to our mother country in the fight for human rights, economic development and social justice within a democratic and pluralistic framework." The party invokes the legacy of Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
and José Martí
José Martí
José Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban...
, whom they say "conceived Latin America as a brotherhood of shared, common and sovereign nations." The Christian Democratic Party of Cuba are publicly against all foreign intervention in Cuba, and declare their opposition to the United States embargo
United States embargo against Cuba
The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo partially imposed on Cuba in October 1960...
.