Omar Bennett
The Platt Amendment was a piece of United States legislation that was enacted in 1903 as part of the Army Appropriations Act of 1901. It defined the relationship between the US and Cuba following the Spanish-American War, stipulating the conditions for the withdrawal of US troops remaining in Cuba and limiting Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations. The Cuban Constitutional Assembly approved the Platt Amendment in 1901, amending its constitution to include the seven applicable demands of the Platt Amendment. The Platt Amendment was eventually repealed in 1934 as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy, and it was removed from the new Cuban constitution in 1940.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Amendment | 1903 |
| Name of Amendment | Platt Amendment |
| Amendment Proposer | Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut |
| Amendment Purpose | To define the relationship between the US and Cuba after the Spanish-American War |
| Amendment Characteristics | Stipulated 7 conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba, and an eighth condition that Cuba sign a treaty accepting these 7 conditions |
| Amendment Outcome | Approved by the Cuban Constitutional Assembly on June 12, 1901, and integrated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution |
| Amendment Impact | Made Cuba a US protectorate, contributed to an erosion of individual rights of Cubans, and resulted in Cuban volatility |
| Amendment Repeal | Most provisions repealed in 1934 as part of US President Franklin Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy" toward Latin America |
| Amendment Replacement | Cuban Constitutional Convention of 1940 eliminated the Platt Amendment from the new Cuban constitution |
| Latest Constitution | Ratified in 2019, reaffirming socialism, the leading role of the Cuban Communist Party, and a centrally planned economy |
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What You'll Learn
The Platt Amendment
The Amendment stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba, and an eighth condition that Cuba sign a treaty accepting these seven conditions. It outlined the role of the US in Cuba and the Caribbean, limiting Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations and restricting its foreign policy and commercial relations. It also established that Cuba's boundaries would not include the Isle of Pines until its title could be established in a future treaty, and that Cuba must sell or lease lands to the US for coaling or the development of naval stations. The main naval base established was at Guantanamo Bay.
The Amendment was approved on May 22, 1903, and was a treaty between the US and Cuba that attempted to protect Cuba's independence from foreign intervention. It permitted extensive US involvement in Cuban international and domestic affairs for the enforcement of Cuban independence. The Platt Amendment was repealed in 1934 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America, but the US retained its lease on Guantanamo Bay, where a naval base remains.
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US-Cuba relations
The Platt Amendment contributed to an erosion of the individual rights of Cuban citizens, particularly Afro-Cubans, and led to calls for a new constitution. In 1934, most of the Platt Amendment provisions were repealed as part of US President Franklin Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy" toward Latin America, and it was eliminated from the new Cuban constitution drafted in 1940.
In 1959, a new Cuban government came to power and denounced the 1934 treaty as a violation of international law. Despite this, the long-term lease of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base has continued. In 1976, Cuba adopted a new constitution modeled after the 1936 Soviet Constitution, institutionalizing the socialist character of the Cuban government.
In recent years, there have been some efforts to improve US-Cuba relations. In 1977, the two countries established limited diplomatic relations by opening interests sections in Washington and Havana. In 2018, the US Department of State announced that the US Embassy in Havana would continue to operate with minimum personnel for core diplomatic and consular functions. That same year, nearly 87% of Cuba's electorate ratified a new constitution, reaffirming the country's commitment to socialism and the leading role of the Cuban Communist Party.
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Independence of Cuba
The United States' involvement in Cuba's independence and constitution has been significant, particularly through the Platt Amendment, which was enacted as part of the Army Appropriations Act of 1901. This amendment defined the relationship between the two nations following the Spanish-American War and stipulated conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba. The amendment outlined the US role in Cuba and the Caribbean, limiting Cuba's treaty-making power and foreign policy conduct. It also excluded the Isle of Pines from Cuba's boundaries and required Cuba to sell or lease lands to the US for naval stations.
The Platt Amendment was initially rejected by the Cuban Assembly but was eventually incorporated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution, with the US Senate influencing the decision. This amendment contributed to an erosion of Cubans' individual rights, especially for Afro-Cubans, and faced opposition from the Cuban public. In 1934, most of the Platt Amendment provisions were repealed under President Franklin Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy." The amendment was formally eliminated from the new Cuban constitution drafted in 1940 under the presidency of Federico Laredo Brú.
Cuba has continued to assert its independence and sovereignty, with a new constitution being ratified in 1976, modelled after the 1936 Soviet Constitution, which institutionalised the socialist character of the Cuban government. In 1980, Fidel Castro announced that Cubans wishing to emigrate to the US could do so, leading to the Mariel boatlift. Cuba's government has denounced the Cuban-American Treaty of 1934, which includes the Platt Amendment, as a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
In recent years, Cuba has continued to make amendments to its constitution. In 2018, a new draft was proposed, and after a public debate and review of suggestions, a second draft was approved. Nearly 87% of Cuba's electorate ratified the new constitution in 2019, reaffirming socialism, the leading role of the Cuban Communist Party, and a centrally planned economy.
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US intervention in Cuba
The United States has had a long history of intervention in Cuba, with one of the earliest instances being the Platt Amendment. Proposed by Senator Orville H. Platt in 1901, the amendment outlined the role of the US in Cuba and the Caribbean. It stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba after the Spanish-American War, including that Cuba sign a treaty accepting these conditions. These conditions included limiting Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations and restricting its foreign policy and commercial relations. The amendment was initially rejected by the Cuban assembly, but it was eventually accepted and integrated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution.
The Platt Amendment contributed to an erosion of the individual rights of Cuban citizens, and by 1929, the Cuban public was calling for a new constitution. Most of the Platt Amendment provisions were repealed in 1934 as part of US President Franklin Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy" toward Latin America. The Platt Amendment was eliminated from the new Cuban constitution, drafted in 1940 under the presidency of Federico Laredo Brú.
In 1952, Batista returned to Cuba to run for president. He deposed President Carlos Prío Socarrás, cancelled the constitution, and suspended elections. In 1959, the Cuban government under Fidel Castro strongly denounced the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1934 as a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
In 1976, a new Cuban Constitution, modeled after the 1936 Soviet Constitution, institutionalized the socialist character of the Cuban government. In 1977, the United States and Cuba established limited diplomatic relations, and in 1980, Fidel Castro announced that all Cubans wishing to emigrate to the United States could do so through the port of Mariel, resulting in the emigration of 125,266 Cubans to Florida.
In 2018, the Cuban government released a draft of a new constitution and called for a public debate about the proposed amendments. After reviewing the comments and suggestions made by the island's population and its citizens abroad, a second draft was approved, and nearly 87% of Cuba's electorate ratified a new constitution in 2019, reaffirming the "irrevocable" character of socialism and the leading role of the Cuban Communist Party.
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US military occupation
The Platt Amendment was a piece of United States legislation enacted as part of the Army Appropriations Act of 1901 that defined the relationship between the US and Cuba following the Spanish-American War. It stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba, and an eighth condition that required Cuba to accept these seven conditions. The Amendment outlined the role of the US in Cuba and the Caribbean, limiting Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations and restricting its foreign policy and commercial relations. It also established that Cuba's boundaries would not include the Isle of Pines until its title could be established in a future treaty, and that Cuba must sell or lease lands to the US necessary for coaling or the development of naval stations.
The Platt Amendment was introduced to Congress by Senator Orville H. Platt on February 25, 1901. It passed the US Senate by a vote of 43 to 20, and although it was initially rejected by the Cuban assembly, it was eventually accepted by a vote of 16 to 11 with four abstentions and integrated into the 1901 Cuban Constitution. The Amendment was a major blow to hopes of social advancement for Afro-Cubans, who had made up nearly 40% of the Cuban fighting force against Spain and had spent generations fighting for their country's independence.
The US military occupation of Cuba lasted for several years after the Spanish-American War ended. Under General Leonard Wood, the military government organized a school system, ordered finances, and made significant progress in eliminating yellow fever. The US Congress approved the Platt Amendment in March 1901, stating that it may intervene militarily in Cuba to defend US interests, and required the Cuban constituent assembly to incorporate the statute into the new constitution. In June 1901, the Cuban Constitutional Assembly approved the Platt Amendment, and on May 22, 1903, Cuba entered into a treaty with the US to make the same seven pledges: the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1903.
On May 20, 1902, the US ended its military occupation of Cuba, formally inaugurating the Cuban republic. Tomás Estrada Palma, a naturalized US citizen, was elected the first president of Cuba. Most of the Platt Amendment provisions were repealed in 1934 when the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1934 was negotiated as part of US President Franklin Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy" toward Latin America. José Manuel Cortina and other members of the Cuban Constitutional Convention of 1940 eliminated the Platt Amendment from the new Cuban constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The Platt Amendment was a piece of US legislation enacted as part of the Army Appropriations Act of 1901 that defined the relationship between the US and Cuba following the Spanish-American War.
The Platt Amendment stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of US troops remaining in Cuba at the end of the Spanish-American War, and an eighth condition that Cuba sign a treaty accepting these seven conditions. It limited Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations and restricted Cuba in the conduct of foreign policy and commercial relations. It also established that Cuba's boundaries would not include the Isle of Pines until its title could be established in a future treaty, and that Cuba must sell or lease lands to the US for naval bases.
The US wanted to protect Cuba's independence from foreign intervention while also ensuring that Cuba would not transfer Cuban land to any power other than the US.
Yes, in 1934, the Platt Amendment was eliminated from the new Cuban constitution as part of US President Franklin Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor policy" toward Latin America.
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