Cuban Exiles Back 1940 Constitution as Alternative to Castro-Era Political System: 'Last Freely and Democratically Approved'

Protesters demand the right of Cubans living abroad to return to the island as well as to push for stronger U.S. action against the Cuban government on March 21, 2026 (Credit: Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Leaders of the Cuban exile community, business figures and civic representatives gathered Monday in Miami to defend Cuba's 1940 Constitution as the legal and historical foundation for a potential democratic transition on the island, arguing that any future political change should avoid preserving elements of the system established after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

The meeting, held at the Cuban Diaspora Museum, came amid renewed pressure from the Trump administration on Havana and broader debates within the exile community over how a future transition could unfold.