Untitled - Convivencia

forward by seizing the institutions countingon the credit of the masses and then, beingalready leaders, they dissolve the mostrelevant institutions, denature the mostuncomfortable ones, domesticate the alienones and magnify the submitted ones. In theend, all ways lead to one seeminglydemocratic proposal: to change theConstitution of the Country, with thepurpose of perpetuating in power, not onlydisregarding each one of the institutionalframework but, besides, with the purpose tofind a false legitimization and blowing up thegreat global framework of the citizencoexistence which are the politicalinstitutions.When this happens, the country startsdangerously approaching to violence andexclusion. If there are some who “jump over”the institutions, others will do the same andthat anarchic succession is difficult to stop.But there is always a place for the questionso that we can open a door to hope: Whatcan be done to prevent this, to change this,to bring forward a true democraticcoexistence?One of the answers that we consideressential is: to promote the respect, thestrengthening and the inviolability of thedemocratic institutions of the nation.The institutions are born in a legalframework designed and approved with theparticipation of all. This gives the democraticinstitutions the only unquestionablelegitimization: the consent of the citizens.It’s the principle of the sacred respect for theagreed structures. Only inside theseinstitutions the democratic game of politicalpluralism and diversity can be carried on.Only by respecting them, there can be anacceptance of the different ones withoutturning them into visceral enemy.Only inside the rules of institutionalcoexistence the following phenomena can behindered: the personal ambitions, theabsolutist sectarianisms, the economiccorruption, the political chieftainship, thecancer of the paralyzing ungovernability, thecultural genocide of one group upon otherand the social anomy. Here is, in a few words,the fundamental importance of the democraticinstitutions. If there are no constitutionalstructures no nation can progress, nogovernment is legitimate, no citizenship issovereign.But the foundational respect for the institutionsshould be accompanied by the gradual andsystematic strengthening of their structuresand operation, their dynamics and efficiency.We are not defending immobilizing straitjacketsbut channels that favour the flow of initiatives.We are not defending mammoth institutionswhich chase their tails in their own bureaucracy.The fact that they should be strong does notmean they have to be mummies. To strengthenmeans to fix a legal framework equal for all, tosimplify the structures, to make them fasterand increase their credibility by their efficiency.Indeed, there is a directly proportionalrelationship between the efficiency of theinstitutions in one country and the confidencecitizens have in them. We are living it. If theinstitutions change frequently on impulses bythe leadership, the citizens will not believe inthe institutions; these institutions won’t berespected by the citizens and will bedisregarded by them. If too frequently theinstitutions only are useful to control thecitizens, to repress the initiatives, to containfreedom, to prevent personal or family progressand are not useful to channel, promote andmake the initiatives easier, people won’t believein the institutions, they will rather reject them.It’s the breeding ground for chaos and anarchy;or for the immobilizing anomy which is theanaemia of citizenship.If there are no institutions the country does notexist. It dies; or at least, it fades in a marsh ofarbitrariness; a country without respectable,reliable, useful institutions, so that we can toturn to them and solve the problems inside thelaw; institutions that give certainty and notdistress. Institutions, all in all, that guaranteesecurity to persons; that guarantee confidence,options for solutions, high spirits to go forwardand progress, desire to live… to live in thiscountry.What to do? In the first place, the solidfoundation on which stable, lasting andcompetent democratic institutions for thefuture of Cuba can be built is the civicEdiciones ConvivenciaPinar del Río. 201250