Presentations of Compañeros for the Diploma
“Evolutionary Transformations 45 Light Years”
November 23rd 2024
Remarks of Dr. Gustavo Porras,
president of the National Assembly
Good morning, to all the Sisters and Brothers who are in this Diploma Course right now, in this connection of the Diploma Course every Saturday, as we move onward.
We are gathered here, Compañeras and Compañeros, and today it is our privilege and responsibility to talk about a very important event happening in our Country, and here we are complying with the guidance of Comandante Daniel, of Compañera Rosario, namely the approval in the First Legislature of a Partial Reform to the Constitution; this means the Political Constitution of the Revolution approved in 1987, which entered into force in 1987.
Comandante Daniel sent a Reform Law to the Constitution that is an Updating Reform, it is a Reform and Adaptation of that Revolutionary Constitution, to these New Times and to these New Moments.
After having entered, over 17 years, the Second Stage of the Revolution, Neoliberalism could not change that Constitution, it tried to reform it. We have already said on other occasions that the Constitution is nothing but the expression, the representation of the interests that are predominant in a society.
Since 1979, with the Revolution, in our country the predominant interests are the interests of the People, the interests of the great majorities, the interests of Human Beings, and it is the Families, our Communities that make up the vast majority of the Nicaraguan People. But it belongs to everyone too, because the Constitution belongs to everyone, because the Constitution covers those who own very little, those who own a little more, and even those who own a lot, because it is the Constitution of the People of Nicaragua.
That is very important, because after all a Constitution is the historical result of every moment; and this Constitution that we are building today by means of the Partial Reform in the First Legislature, is the one that we have been building since even before we were a Nation, since even before we came to be Nicaragua. Because when in our Territories, our Original Peoples, our ancestors fought against the colonialists in the time of Nicarao, in the time of Diriangén, in the time of Adiac. From there we began to build a Combative Spirit, a permanent Spirit of Dignity in the face of any intervention, in the face of any attempt to make us vassals, to enslave us.
This has been historically linked through time, and that's why in the mid-1800s the first Constitution appeared, and it was a Constitution that responded in the 1800s to the interests of the classes that dominated at that time. An absolutely Conservative Constitution; then came the Liberal Constitution known as the Libérrima, which transformed the previous one in response to other interests.
But well, that's how time went on until we reached the culminating moment in the history of our Country, where already, gathering up all the struggles of Benjamín Zeledón, Sandino managed to expel the Yankees from our country, showing us the Way.
Then Carlos Fonseca gathered up all that experience and founded, together with Tomás Borge, along with the other Founders, such that with everyone, with the entire Sandinista Front, we managed to achieve the Triumph of 1979
This is important because that is where our history changes, because in the Triumph of 1979 the Constitution that existed, which was the Somoza Constitution, was demolished, totally destroyed, and the Fundamental Statute of July 20th 1979 appeared, which opened the way to a new Nicaragua, to a new Construction of the State, to a new Social construction, to build new Values, between that July 20th 1979 until 1987 when the current Constitution appeared, the Constitution of the Revolution, which has undergone changes.
But yesterday it was our turn to approve anew, and today it is our turn to start working, to get to know, to internalize a Reform bringing the Constitution into the current times. That means creating the Legal Framework, giving every force of Law to what we are doing today, Brothers and Sisters, giving the updated Constitution the force of the Law.
First, to recognize History, and that beautiful Preamble of the Constitution recognizes its entire History, through its Characters, through its Protagonists. But it is an absolutely connected history, where you realize that the history of the Nicaraguan People is a struggle against colonialism, against imperialism, against filibustering, it is a History that we have been building; that is the first thing.
But what this Constitution also does is to establish in legal terms what we have been doing, the Model we have made, the Model of Direct Democracy, the Model which makes clear that Power belongs to the People.
That is why, given the narratives of the Powers of the State, of the Power of the First Legislative State, we must erase all that from our minds, from our hearts, and assimilate that the Sovereign Power is in the Nicaraguan People, and it is exercised through Direct Democracy.
Of course, there is the representation of the State because the People also exercise their power through the Institutions and the Representatives they have, and the Presidency of the Republic. The Presidency of the Republic is the Head of Government and is the Head of State, which we have been building.
Our Comandante has always talked about 50-50, and we have been making progress on that and we have already internalized it; now it is clearly constituted, that the Presidency of the Republic has a Co-President and a Co-President, so that this entire Revolutionary Process is evolving. What these Laws and the partial reform of the Constitution are doing is giving it the Legal Framework, the Legal Security for all these transformations.
The Compañeros accompanying me are going to talk about all these different aspects, because here we have discussed how the State is constituted, the Characteristics of our Revolutionary State.
It clarifies, we cannot make our way with any ambivalence, we are a Revolutionary State, moreover, we incorporated our Red and Black Flag of anti-imperialist struggle, which we have constructed, and with Dignity we have incorporated it into our National Symbols.
We have the Blue and White Flag and the Red and Black Flag is the one that has raised up and given Dignity to the Blue and White Flag, and this fact is totally established here.
Similarly, the Compañeros will also address other different aspects, because really this Partial Reform to the Constitution gives us, once it is applied, a New, Modern Constitution, with transformations, with innovations; but what is more important, one that is understandable for the People of Nicaragua, and also responds to the interests of the People of Nicaragua.
That is why we say it is a Constitution by the People, for the People; it is a Constitution to remind us, and which we have to always bear in mind, to study precisely because it will remind us, who is the President here.
That is an element that Comandante Daniel has always noted, the People-as-President rules here through their Direct Democracy, who receives this transformation is the People, who are also the subject of the transformation, because it is the attitude of the People as protagonist, of the human person, the Family, the Community, that guarantees this.
Because the objective of all this is to achieve and maintain Peace, Sovereignty, Self-Determination; that is, all the precepts that we have in a Revolutionary Nicaragua, but its one Objective guiding us is to defeat poverty. That is the Objective we have in our Country and by which our Comandante has guided us, Compañera Rosario has guided us, the Presidency has guided us. Having said that, I cede the session to Comandante Lumberto Campbell, protagonist of all the struggles to which we have referred. The Comandante has the floor.
Remarks by Comandante Lumberto Campbell
Member of the FSLN and Coordinator of the Secretariat for Caribbean Coast Affairs
Thank you very much, Doctor. Well, as regards this process of adjusting our current situation, the Doctor has talked about the Constitution that existed before the Revolution, a Somoza Constitution. In that Constitution the Peoples of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast did not exist; to start with.
This new Constitution we are developing reaffirms the multi-ethnic, Multicultural and Multilingual character of the Nicaraguan people. That is important, very important; that is to say, before the Revolution, from a strictly Legal, Juridical point of view, in the Constitution, neither the Indigenous nor Black People existed; important. This is a momentous fact and changing it has only been possible within the framework of a Revolution.
In 1979, the Nicaraguan people woke up to a new reality, free to dismantle the scaffolding that had been exploiting our Peoples, and to create a new reality for the Nicaraguan people. In 1981, the Fundamental Principles established that the Cultures of the Caribbean and Coastal Peoples existed and continue to exist in Nicaragua, and enrich the National Culture. In other words, there is no inferior or superior Culture, all Cultures complement each other and enrich the National Culture.
In this Constitutional Reform this is reaffirmed, and a very important fact in this Reform, for the first time, although it is true that there was talk of recognition of languages. Today, we are specifically talking about the Recognition of the Language of the Miskitos, of the Garífunas, of the Ulwas, of Creole, Creole English, and of Rama and Mayagna.
That is important, the delicacy in this Reform, of naming this issue specifically, not leaving it as a global issue of the languages of the Caribbean Coast in general, no; but rather with name and surname. In other words, we are all clearly reflected there.
The reform reaffirms the Right of the Peoples of the Caribbean Coast to the use of their Natural Resources, and reaffirms the Right of the Peoples of the Caribbean Coast to their Organizational Structure within the framework of our Customs and our Cultures. For that reason we have our Law of Autonomy, which is reflected here, whereby we are going to organize ourselves according to our traditional ways, according to our Culture, our way of being.
The Territorial Governments, the Communal Governments are organized, and everyone agrees on how the People and the Caribbean Coast see this, how the People of the Caribbean Coast visualize it, how the People of the Coast have exercised it in recent years. I think it is a very good Constitutional Reform, at the level that our Peoples deserve.
The Doctor reflected that the Spirit of this Constitutional Reform is ultimately Combating Poverty. I think that what our Revolution has been doing throughout our Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast has been fundamental making such an important part of the Nicaraguan People a active part of this country.
Never in the history of the Caribbean Coast have we seen so much development, Roads, Hospitals; one that is only possible via the framework of the Revolution, and only possible given the Framework of a Revolution, and all from the perspective of the Peoples of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast. It is a development with Identity, that is very important, the word Identity.
Remember that our Magna Carta establishes that any investment at all of any magnitude in the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast must have the endorsement of the Autonomous Governments of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast.
There is a deep respect for the Caribbean Coast, we are making good progress; I think that our Peoples are well represented, this of course has as a common denominator the reinforcement of our National Unity, that is very important. In other words, the peoples of the Caribbean Coast are a dynamic part, I would say the operative part, of the Caribbean Coast and of the rest of the Nicaraguan nation. We are proceeding well, in this case, as a person from the Coast, I have to say, I am very happy with this reaffirmation, and the Route we are working out is the correct Route, in general terms. This Revolutionary Constitution means that in addition to the Nicaraguan people in general, this Revolution continues too, on the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast where it has been galloping ahead.
I think we have made significant progress, but now with all this reflected in the Constitution, plus the involvement of our People in their work, we are going to be able to make our way much further.
In addition, apart from what the Doctor said as well as this part about the Caribbean Coast, I think there are aspects from the point of view relating to International Relations, that our Compañero Valdrack will address.
Let's give the floor to Compañero Valdrack.
Remarks by Comrade Valdrack Jaentschke
Chancellor of the Republic
Thank you, Comandante, thank you, Compañero. It's worth stressing that this Constitution takes up the Vision of our Country towards other Peoples, takes up the struggle of our Latin American and Caribbean Peoples, for Independence, for National Liberation, for Self-determination. This reform has a vision that is not closed, but one that also extends our hand, recognizing the participation of all of Latin America and the Caribbean. In particular, it has a vision of Unity and of Recognition of the need to build that Latin American and Caribbean Unity, that Central American Unity.
There is a very powerful paragraph evoking this in the Constitution, a very powerful paragraph which ends saying, and this for me sends out a Message of Recognition and Unity, which is when it mentions Toussaint Louverture, Dessalines; those are leaders of the Revolution in Haiti. The first independent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean was Haiti. And this Constitution recognizes their contribution, as well as the contribution of Bolívar, the contribution of Martí, of Zapata, of Allende, the contribution and inspiration of Fidel, the inspiration of Chávez, and, in the construction of Central American Unity, of Morazán .
It is a Constitution that unites, that connects our own struggle, our own history, with the struggle for Liberation, for Self-determination, for the Sovereignty of Latin America and the Caribbean. We are part of that Unity.
The Fundamental Principles of this Constitution reaffirm, I think we can begin to say very clearly, in international terms, the Doctrine of the Revolution. It is a Doctrine based on Respect, Friendship, Complementarity, Solidarity and Reciprocity.
It recognizes that a Multipolar World is emerging, and that in that new space, this Multipolar World rejects all external aggression, military, political, economic, cultural.
There is clarity in emphasizing non-intervention in the internal affairs of other States, and rejecting the intervention of another State in ours. These are clear foundations of how Nicaragua, how our country, how the Revolution establishes its relations with others.
This Constitution, I think offers our Revolutionary Doctrine with regard to International Relations, rejecting unilateralism, extraterritoriality; that is to say, that other people cannot come to take measures, engage in aggression against Nicaraguans. They simply have no validity in our country, that's part of this Doctrine.
And then, as we have been emphasizing, we can see in the Constitution that our International Doctrine promotes the peaceful solution to disputes; for we, the People, must live in Peace.
It is a deeply nationalist Constitution, defending National Sovereignty, but respecting International Law. I think that it is also stressed here that we have built and continue to build our Relations on the basis of Respect for International Law, which is why we exclude unilateral aggression, we exclude unilateral aggression, because we recognize that only via International Law can we make demands of other Peoples.
This recognizes the emergence of the new International Order based on Multipolarity and so on. I think also, a third element is that from the point of view of the delimitation of our territory, it is based not only on history, but is also based on the recognition of that International Judgment.
We see how our Country recognizes in the construction of its territory the History with which we built that territory, but we also recognize the International Judgment, because we believe in International Law, because we believe that it is based on that Law, in the International Courts. that we are able to settle disputes, where we can manage to resolve any contradiction that we may have with other Countries. Finally, I think it also recognizes a clear Unitary Identity in Central America, I think that's a very clear element, the Regional Identity that is ours.
Finally, it stresses the importance of protecting Nicaraguans abroad. It recognizes Rights such as Asylum and Non-extradition. I think in the end it should be stressed, in fact it is very clear, that International Relations are defined and directed by the Presidency of the Republic, because thus it has the logic of coherence and leadership, a single purpose, which is the defense of the Country from the international point of view, and of the fight against Poverty as Doctor Porras said. These elements are based on this Constitution, and what I see clearly as the Doctrine of the Revolution. We do not accept any international interference in our affairs, and we therefore respect other Peoples. That is the basis, that Respect, it's the basis of how we establish relationships.
Compañeros and Compañeras, our Constitution, this Constitution is based on our History, it evokes the internal Struggles not only of our Country, of our ancestors, but also recognizes the struggles of other Peoples. And from that point of view, it defends our Country internationally, on the clear principle that we do not accept foreign interference, we do not get involved in other nations' affairs and we defend Sovereignty and Self-determination as a fundamental basis of what we do, from the international point of view.
I think that Compañero William may also take up some of the various internal or international aspects, of what the Constitution speaks about.
Remarks by the Journalist William Grigsby
Journalist and Political Analyst
Thank you very much, Valdrack, thank you all very much. It seems to me that what we are witnessing at the moment is the culmination of the demolition of the bourgeois Somoza state. That demolition began on July 19th when the Fundamental Statute came into force the very next day; but it was not enough, then came the 1987 Constitution built by the People, with those famous assemblies that were held all over the country, headed by Comandante Carlos Núñez, May He Rest in Peace.
But all of that, both the Fundamental Statute and the Constitution of 1987, was due to the correlation of forces in Society. In 1979 we achieved the Triumph led by the armed People, but also with Alliances, with Sectors that did not necessarily connect with the People, but simply had contradictions with Somoza. Those sectors wanted to stab the People of Nicaragua in the back after starting the Revolution, when they went to war against the People and they sought out the United States, betrayed the People, making war on us for much of the 1980s.
Thus, that Constitution responded to a logic of Alliances, but at this point in the contest it no longer has the same validity, because, in Nicaraguan society, there is a new correlation of forces.
Because the Nicaraguan people have defeated the Yankees who have tried every kind of intervention, not only militarily as Sandino did, not only in the war of the 1980s, but we have also defeated the Yankees in elections, because we have defeated them in Election after Election ever since 2006; one after another, and we defeated the Yankees.
Because let's not forget that it is not the internal forces that dispute the power of the People, it is the Yankees who use internal forces to dispute the power of the People of Nicaragua. Therefore, it seems to me, this reform is the culmination of the Refounding of the State of Nicaragua.
But also, I would like to thank the Nicaraguan people for allowing me to live in this moment, and also, thank the People for choosing Daniel and Rosario to interpret these moments, and to return to us a Constitutional Reform of the depth that we have now, which I think is extraordinary.
I would like to say one more thing, perhaps without being boring. Also this is a sincere Constitution, I think it is the first time in history that a State is being sincere about what really goes on. There is no such thing as Independent Powers, the Judicial, the Electoral, the Legislative and the Executive, there is no such thing anywhere in the world. Even in the United States they name the Supreme Court via appointments by the President, and furthermore, it is the rich who appoint who are allowed to be legislators and who are not. Separation of powers does not exist in any country in Europe; it simply does not exist.
Here we are saying, the People are the Power via Representatives of the People and the Presidency of the Republic, permit me, obeys this People who have mandated it to exercise Power; that is one thing. And the other thing is to be honest. Sisters and Brothers, here, the People is the power ruling through different instruments: The Army, the Police, the Ministry of the Interior, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Electoral Council, the Audit bodies, the Municipal Governments. Yes, but it's the People who rule.
And I remember very well when Daniel took over on January 10th 2007. Do you remember how he took off the Presidential Ribbon? It is in the Country that the People-as-President begins, the People are the President, and the People said maybe a year and a half ago, two years ago, as Daniel said, the People are the ones who rule, we obey. Well, this is the expression of the People's Rule, we obey.
I think too, that for the first time a State appoints a male Co-president and a female Co-president; that is, yes, we are being honest, but we are also saying, in practice that women should rule alongside men, a tradition of the Mayan People, too.
One remembers very well, for example, the tombs of the last Mayan monarchs in Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula, the woman and the man, because they were the two who ruled. That is to say, we are also recognizing in Historical Justice what has really always happened, women should rule as much as men, although some of us do not like to recognize it; but that is the truth.
One last thing, traitors can not be allowed to dispute the Power of the People, that is also in the reform of the Constitution, those who are traitors to the People cannot come here to participate in Elections, that is now in the Constitution.
Because those traitors are Yankees, they are as we say here, Gringos in native sandals, that is the popular saying, and they do not represent the interests of Nicaragua. So then, how are they going to dispute the Power of the People, if power belongs to the People, to everyone who wants to participate, without betraying, without selling out to the Yankees. Others may have disagreements with us, like so many do, but they cannot go around betraying and selling out to foreign Powers.
It does seem to me that this is the culmination of the Refounding of the State of Nicaragua; which we have built over the years. As Doctor Porras and Comandante Campbell said very well, over the years we have built a new State and we are now reflecting this in the Constitution which the President has returned to us on behalf of the People of Nicaragua.
Presentation of Comrade Fidel Moreno
General Secretary of the Managua Mayor's Office and Secretary of the FSLN Organization
Thank you William. Good morning to all our Sandinista Militant Compañeras and Compañeros who are sharing this important space of collective construction.
This Diploma Course was designed over 26 Meetings, we have held 26 Meetings planning and developing different topics; precisely each of those topics as addressed by this reform of the Constitution.
In this Meeting today, it was precisely Women's Rights that had to be addressed, after we addressed the Issues of Health and Education; we will then move on to Youth Rights, Family Rights and all Individual Rights, all Economic Rights, our Program to Fight Poverty as well as all the efforts we have been making via the System of Production, Consumption and Trade.
So, this Diploma Course is designed in a very practical way, and it started 5 weeks before this Reform, to develop what the Revolution is doing at this Stage, and all that is stated in this reform of the Constitution.
I think in fact we have interrupted this Sixth Session in order to be able to present the Reform, which, as Dr. Gustavo Porras pointed out, was approved by the Assembly yesterday in the First Legislature, and it constitutes a historic step. We have all come together for this Historic Moment for our Country, and it is once again the Sandinista Front and the People-President who are making it possible.
Compañeras and Compañeros, I understand we are going to have, as I said before, Working Sessions to detail a series of the aspects that have been gathered together, but as all the Compañeros before me have pointed out, this Constitution brings together what the Revolution has been doing, it unites all of the transformations that the Revolution has been making.
This Diploma is called, "45 Years of Light, of Evolutionary Transformations”, and this is what we have been doing in each of the areas under way in the Country. It is to update the State, to strengthen the State, the Revolutionary State, the People-as-President, in order to continue making our way along these Routes of Transformation, indispensable in each of the areas. Last week we were talking about everything that we have achieved in Health Care, how a new Model of Health Care has been built, a Model that privileges and focuses on our Citizens, one that has led us to improve the indices for the quality of life of Nicaragua's People in all areas.
The same on Educational Issues as we have seen today; we are going to start the year 2025 with more than 230,000 University Students. In the last year of neoliberal government, in 2006, the country did not even reach 100,000 University Students. We are going to pass 236,000 University Students this year 2025; an extraordinary progress, and this has been like that, in all the areas of education.
Yesterday we shared with the Compañeras and Compañeros, with William, that the Baccalaureate Bonus being delivered across the Country was unthinkable under Neoliberalism, when they charged you for absolutely everything.
Today, the Revolution makes it possible, in the first place, so as to recognize the effort of Families, the effort of those girls and boys who are finishing High School and who will go on to a University Career or a Technical Career, or some may have to start working. And, similarly, we can start going through each of the issues, everything that has been done in Productive Infrastructure, everything that has been done in Communication Infrastructure, all that has been done in Social Infrastructure, what we have done to ensure that the Country's Production Rates have practically tripled since the Comandante-in-Chief took office.
All of this is reflected in the quality of life of our People, in the Combat against Poverty, which is the driving force of this extraordinary effort. Everything we are doing is precisely for that, to give back to the People a better quality of life, better living conditions, in every sense.
So, Compañeras and Compañeros, first of all let us Sandinista Militants feel more proud than ever of what we have been building together, under the leadership of Comandante President Daniel and Vice President Compañera Rosario, which is also a historical vindication of the People.
What Nicaraguan women contribute to the Development of the Country is that this systematic, constant, permanent effort of cultural transformation has brought about the understanding that without the contribution of Nicaragua's women development is not possible, and that today, we have their equal participation as Public Policy, not only in the areas of management, which, of course, is an extraordinary advance, but also in all Social Rights, in all Economic Rights.
It is a central element and the Constitution must, of course, include it. We have already had important advances in this and now it is reaffirmed. It is reaffirmed even more with the new Co-Presidency that recognizes the extraordinary effort Compañera Rosario makes every day at the head of the Revolutionary State and at the head of the Party, because she is also Co-Secretary General of the Sandinista Front, for us, for all the Party Structures.
We now have 117,000 fellow students enrolled in this Diploma and attend around 100,000 every Saturday; as reported by the the students, we have a record attendance right now, we have almost almost 9,000 Virtual Classrooms connected with the Facilitating Educators and Students.
Likewise, we have distributed the Document, this Document approved by the National Assembly has now been distributed, and no doubt, now that we are concluding, our Fellow Facilitators will go on to elaborate with us more precisely on the matter.
And do not lose sight of the fact that in all the other topics of this Diploma, we will address in detail how each of these Constitutional Precepts are expressed in our practical Life, how they are expressed in the everyday Struggles of our People, which make it possible for us all categorically to Overcome.
Thank you very much, Compañeras and Compañeros.