Proclamation of the Constitution of 1976

On February 24, 1976, the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba was proclaimed under the popular referendum. This, unprecedented in the history of Cuban constitutions, sought to institutionalize the revolutionary process begun in 1959. It established that the proclaimed rights applied equally to all Cuban citizens; Likewise, it instituted legal guarantees such as due process of law, the non-retroactivity of the laws, the application of the criminal law favorable to the accused, and the limitation to the confiscation of property, among others. Its precepts also established the functional independence of the courts and their obedience only to the law in their actions.