Malcolm Rivera
Cuba's 1901 Constitution, its first as an independent state, incorporated eight principles set out in the Platt Amendment, a treaty between the U.S. and Cuba. The Platt Amendment, named after Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut, was a set of guidelines for future U.S.-Cuba relations. It virtually made Cuba a U.S. protectorate, allowing the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect its independence and guarantee the stability of its government. The Amendment also restricted Cuba's foreign policy and commercial relations and compelled Cuba to lease land for U.S. naval bases. Most of the Platt Amendment's provisions were repealed in 1934 as part of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Amendment | 12 June, 1901 |
| Amendment Name | Platt Amendment |
| Amendment Author | Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut |
| Amendment Author's Position | U.S. Senator from 1879 to 1905 |
| Amendment Author's Influence | Annexation of Hawaii and Occupation of the Philippines |
| Amendment Passage Vote | 43-20 |
| Amendment Integration Vote | 16-11 with four abstentions |
| Amendment Integration Date | 12 June, 1901 |
| Amendment Integration Outcome | U.S. "government and control" transferred to Cuba |
| Amendment Removal Date | 29 May, 1934 |
| Amendment Removal Reason | Rising Cuban Nationalism and Widespread Criticism |
| Amendment Removal Outcome | Three of eight pledges removed |
| Amendment Replacement | Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1934 |
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What You'll Learn
The Platt Amendment
The eight principles were as follows:
- The government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or compact with any foreign power that may impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes.
- That Cuba will not contract any public debt which may impair its independence.
- That Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the Treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the Government of Cuba.
- That all acts of the United States in Cuba during its military occupation thereof are ratified, ratified and confirmed.
- That the government of Cuba will execute, and as far as necessary extend, the plans already devised or other plans to be mutually agreed upon, for the sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of yellow fever and other preventable diseases may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the commerce of the southern states of the United States and the commerce of the West Indies.
- That the Isle of Pines shall be omitted from the proposed constitutional boundaries of Cuba, the title thereto being left to future adjustment by treaty.
- That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defence, the Government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States.
- That by way of further assurance the Government of Cuba will embody the foregoing seven articles in a permanent treaty with the United States.
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Limited Cuban sovereignty
Cuba's independence has been a long and tumultuous journey, with several constitutions being proposed or adopted by insurgents during their war against Spain. The Platt Amendment, a US statute, was one such defining moment in Cuban history.
The Platt Amendment was a treaty between the US and Cuba, which outlined the future relationship between the two nations. It was introduced to Congress by Senator Orville H. Platt in 1901 and passed the US Senate by a vote of 43 to 20. The Amendment was initially rejected by the Cuban assembly, but after much negotiation and pressure, it was eventually accepted and integrated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution.
The Platt Amendment placed limitations on Cuban sovereignty, with eight principles that Cuba had to accept for the US to withdraw its troops. These principles included the right of the US to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect its independence and guarantee a stable government, as well as a ban on Cuba entering any treaty or compact with other nations that could impair its independence. The US also demanded a naval base in Cuba, which led to the lease of Guantanamo Bay.
The Platt Amendment had a significant impact on Cuba, with some arguing that it resulted in Cuban volatility and a second occupation of Cuba from 1906 to 1909. The Amendment was repealed in 1934 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America, but the lease on Guantanamo Bay remains in operation today.
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US intervention in Cuban affairs
The Platt Amendment, a treaty between the United States and Cuba, was added to the Cuban Constitution in 1901. It outlined the role of the United States in Cuba and the Caribbean, and it included eight principles that restricted Cuba's sovereignty and provided a legal basis for future US interventions.
The Platt Amendment was drafted by Secretary of War Elihu Root and presented by Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut. It was added to Cuba's constitution as a condition for the withdrawal of US troops from the island after the Spanish-American War. The amendment included provisions that limited Cuba's independence and allowed for US intervention in Cuban affairs. Specifically, it restricted Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations, conduct foreign policy, and engage in commercial relations. It also gave the US the right to intervene in Cuba to protect its independence and guarantee the stability of its government. Additionally, the amendment required Cuba to lease land to the US for naval bases, which led to the establishment of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
The Platt Amendment was reluctantly accepted by the Cuban Constitutional Assembly, with a vote of 16 to 11, as they wanted to secure the withdrawal of US troops. This amendment virtually made Cuba a US protectorate, and it supplied the terms under which the US intervened in Cuban affairs in 1906, 1912, 1917, and 1920.
In 1934, rising Cuban nationalism and widespread criticism of the Platt Amendment resulted in its repeal as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America. However, the US retained its lease on Guantanamo Bay, and the naval base remains in operation today.
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US military intervention
The Platt Amendment, incorporated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution, outlined the role of the United States in Cuba and the Caribbean, and provided a legal basis for future US military interventions in Cuba. The Amendment was a set of articles drafted by Secretary of War Elihu Root and sponsored by Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut. It was introduced to Congress by Platt on February 25, 1901, and passed the US Senate by a vote of 43 to 20.
The Platt Amendment contained eight principles, seven of which were incorporated into the Cuban Constitution, word for word. These included restrictions on Cuban sovereignty and provisions governing relations between the US and Cuba. The Amendment forbade the Cuban government from entering into any international agreement that could jeopardize or undermine Cuban independence or permit foreign powers to use the island for military purposes. It also gave the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect its independence and guarantee the stability of its government.
The Amendment further allowed the US to intervene unilaterally in Cuban affairs and lease land for naval bases on the island. The US naval base at Guantanamo Bay remains in operation today.
The Platt Amendment was reluctantly included in the Cuban Constitution, which was adopted without a popular vote. It virtually made Cuba a US protectorate. Most of the provisions of the Amendment were repealed in 1934 as part of US President Franklin Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America. However, the US retained its lease on Guantanamo Bay.
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US-Cuba relations
Cuba and the United States have had a complex and often fraught relationship since Cuba gained independence from Spain. The US played a significant role in shaping Cuba's early constitutions, particularly through the Platt Amendment, which had a significant impact on US-Cuba relations in the 20th century.
The Platt Amendment was a set of articles drafted by US Secretary of War Elihu Root in 1900 and sponsored by Senator Orville Platt, which became a rider attached to the Army Appropriations Bill of 1901. It outlined the role of the United States in Cuba and the Caribbean, including limitations on Cuban sovereignty and foreign policy. The amendment included provisions that allowed the US to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect its independence and authorised the US to establish naval bases on the island. The amendment was reluctantly incorporated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution, with delegates eventually yielding to American pressure. This amendment essentially made Cuba a US protectorate.
The Platt Amendment provided the terms for US interventions in Cuba in 1906, 1912, 1917, and 1920. In 1934, rising Cuban nationalism and criticism of the amendment led to its repeal as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America. This improved understanding of relations between the nations resulted in a new treaty, which preserved only two elements of the earlier pact: the legality of past US actions and the lease of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which remains in operation today.
Cuba has had several constitutions since gaining independence, reflecting the country's evolving political landscape. The first constitution as an independent state was adopted in 1901, followed by a new constitution in 1940 that eliminated the Platt Amendment. The first constitution after the Cuban Revolution was drafted in 1976 and has since been amended. A major revision process began in 2018, resulting in the enactment of a new constitution in 2019. This latest constitution introduced reforms to modernise the Cuban government, including recognising private property and restoring the positions of President and Prime Minister as separate posts.
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Frequently asked questions
The Platt Amendment was a treaty between the U.S. and Cuba that outlined the role of the United States in Cuba and the Caribbean, limiting Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations and restricting Cuba in the conduct of foreign policy and commercial relations.
The Platt Amendment added eight principles to the Cuban Constitution, including the clause that the U.S. had the right to intervene in Cuba's affairs to protect its independence and guarantee the stability of its government.
The Platt Amendment was repealed in 1934 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America.
The Platt Amendment resulted in Cuban volatility and was denounced by the Cuban government since 1959 as a violation of Article 52 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
