A Permissable Violation

A Permissable Violation / Fernando Damaso
Posted on June 15, 2014

Chapter II, Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba
stipulates the following: "Cuban citizenship shall be lost: a) by those
who acquire foreign citizenship."

However, for the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who have emigrated and
obtained foreign nationality, and for the thousands who have attained
residency in Cuba — mainly Spanish nationals — this clause does not apply.

One might think this constitutes a humanitarian, though
unconstitutional, action by authorities to benefit those born on the
island. The reality, unfortunately, is quite the opposite. By requiring
one and all to have a Cuban passport — even if they hold another one —
in order to enter or leave the country, the Cuban government brings in a
respectable amount of money, especially since a passport is only valid
for six years and must be renewed every two, with the resulting monetary
expenditure.

In Cuba a passport costs 100 CUC and each renewal costs twenty.
Overseas, however, Cuban consulates charge significantly higher fees.
This is the economic impact but there is also a legal issue. Upon
entering the country, an emigré is completely subject to Cuban law and
the government of the country of which he is also a citizen can do
nothing to protect him because, as far as Cuba is concerned, he did not
enter the country with the other country's passport but rather with a
Cuban one. As is quite clear, the Cuban state commits this
constitutional violation purely out of economic interests in order to
obtain hard currency. Secondly, the same perverse motivation allows it
to maintain complete control.

In today's globalized world, where geographical borders become less
important with every passing day, people have dual and even multiple
nationalities. For Cuban authorities updating this legal statute
presents no great difficulty. The flattering reference to the Soviet
Union was dropped from the constitution once this state ceased to exist
while the ridiculous term "irrevocable socialism" was later added.
Cuba, stuck as usual in the past, rejects renewal and refuses to join
the present by continuing to promote its outdated image as a "besieged
island," which for over 56 years has generated substantial political
dividends. What it does not realize is that the buyers are becoming
increasingly scarce.

11 June 2014

Source: A Permissable Violation / Fernando Damaso | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/a-permissable-violation-fernando-damaso/