Havana, Cuba
Fidel Castro gave millions of Cuban workers two days off to watch on TV as the National Assembly made the socialist system “untouchable.” The lawmakers gathered to amend the constitution and protect the system from change. The government said 8 million people—99 percent of all voters—signed petitions supporting the plan. Dissidents said Castro was countering their own drive, known as the Varela Project. Eleven thousand people signed that petition, demanding a referendum to let voters decide whether to make Cuba more democratic. Former president Jimmy Carter touted the movement during his May visit to Cuba, and President Bush promised to ease economic sanctions if the Caribbean nation embraced reform.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The mystery of France's 'needle attacks' on womenIn the Spotlight Nearly 150 women reported being spiked with needles at France's open-air music festival
-
What to see at GlastonburyThe Week Recommends Whether you've got your tent and your ticket or you're watching from home, these are the hottest acts to catch at Worthy Farm
-
Lovestuck: a 'warm-hearted' musical with a 'powerhouse score'The Week Recommends Team behind the hit podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno have created a hilarious show about a disastrous viral Tinder date
