The Birth of The Cuban Republic

May 20th, 1902 marks the birth of the Republic of Cuba, the only benchmark of modernity, civic values, rule of law and democracy we have had as nation. It constituted a unique experience for a society that after 3 centuries of Spanish colonialism and two long and brutal wars of independence moved quickly to become in a couple of decades a modern, democratic and immigrant receiving nation. After 1940 with the passing of its progressive and modern constitution, Cuba became an inclusive nation based on social justice, rule of law and independence.

Despite its short duration as a republic in comparison with other nations in the Americas, it achieved social, economic and technological indictors that positioned Cuba ahead of the great majority of nations in Latin America, even though most of these nations have lived republican experiences for over a century.

While the need for crucial social and economic reforms became a pending subject throughout most of the republican period, their implementation should have never been the excuse for the imposition of a human rights predatory regime that emerged in 1959. In the name of a fraudulent social agenda, a dictatorship disguised as a revolution took power in 1959 and at the highest human cost it has perpetuated poverty, oppression and prevented Cubans from the possibility of deciding on their country’s affairs in free, fair and multiparty elections.

Hoy 20 de mayo los cubanos recordamos el nacimiento de la Republica de Cuba, el único referente de modernidad, valores cívicos, estado de derecho y democracia con el que contamos. Fue una experiencia única para una sociedad que tras 3 siglos de colonialismo español transitaba apresuradamente a convertirse un pocas décadas en una nación moderna, receptora de inmigrantes y que posterior a 1940, cuando promulgó su constitución moderna y progresista, logro inclusion, justicia social e independencia.

A pesar de haber sido en su momento la republica de mas corta duración de las Americas logró indicadores en educación, salud publica, ingresos, alimentación, tecnología, empleos que la posicionaron por encima de la gran mayoría de naciones del hemisferio que para entonces llevaban casi mas de 1 siglo de experiencia republicana.

Si bien Cuba necesitó durante toda su etapa republicana reformas significativas en todos sus ámbitos, el logro de las mismas pudo haberse logrado en democracia y nunca pudo ser la excusa para la imposición de un régimen violador de los derechos humanos que sin jamas haberse medido en elecciones libres, impuso un sistema politico que ha generado pobreza, opresión y un altísimo costo humano a varias generaciones de cubanos.

Overview of major political events during the republican period: 1902-1958