Havana, April 10 (RHC)-- On April 10th, the National Assembly of People’s Power (Cuban Parliament) proclaimed the New Constitution of the Republic during the Second Extraordinary Session of the body’s Ninth Legislature.

The session was presided over by Parliament president Esteban Lazo. Also on hand were the first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) Raúl Castro, president Miguel Díaz-Canel and other government and Communist Party authorities.

The date April 10th was chosen to proclaim the new Cuban Magna Carta, as it marks the 150th anniversary of the Constitution of Guaimaro –the 1st Constitution of the Republic of Cuba in Arms proclaimed on April 10th, 1869.

The solemn parliamentary session started with Cuban deputies singing the National Anthem. This was followed by the entrance in the plenary hall of members of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) carrying the Constitution of Guaimaro. They were dressed in the uniform used by the mambi forces --Cuba’s first independence army that fought against Spanish colonialism in the 19th century.

Outside the plenary room, a 21 gun salute was delivered simultaneously from the San Carlos de la Cabaña fortress in the Cuban capital and the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in eastern Santiago de Cuba.

The New Cuban Constitution, proclaimed this April 10th, was approved by the Cuban Parliament in December of 2018, and then ratified by more than 6 million 8 hundred thousand Cuban voters, representing 78.3% of those who cast their ballots in the national referendum, held on February 24th, 2019.

In his remarks, PCC leader Raúl Castro said that the new Magna Carta proclaimed today gives continuity to the 1st Cuban Constitution –the Constitution of Guaimaro proclaimed 150 years ago-- as both documents and all the other Cuban Constitutions proclaimed in between upheld the strongly promoted and defended principle of unity among the Cuban people.

“The New Constitution we proclaim today, said Raúl Castro, guarantees the continuity of our Revolution and the irrevocable nature of socialism in Cuba.” He stressed that the new Magna Carta reflects Cuba’s reality, as well as the aspirations of the Cuban people in their efforts to build a just, prosperous socialist society.

Although proclaimed this April 10th, the New Cuban Constitution will be in place when the text is published in the official gazette of the Republic of Cuba, which is expected in the next few days.