Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/332

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

A resolution issued by the Board of Public Offices shall be final from an administrative standpoint, and shall be immediately enforceable, without prejudice to the appeals established by law.

117. The corresponding penalties for those who infringe the regulations contained in this Section shall be established by law.


Title VIII.—Branches of the Nation

118. The Nation exercises its functions through the medium of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches and the bodies recognised in the Constitution, or which in accordance therewith are established by law.

The Provinces and Municipalities, in addition to performing their own functions, shall aid in the accomplishment of the purposes of the Nation.


Title IX.—The Legislative Branch

Section 1.—The Co-legislative Bodies

119. The Legislative power shall be exercised by two bodies known as House of Representatives and the Senate respectively, which jointly shall be called Congress.

Section 2.—The Senate, its Composition and Functions

120. The Senate is composed of 9 Senators for each Province, elected in each one for a period of 4 years, by universal, equal, direct secret suffrage, on a single day and in the manner determined by law.

121. To be a Senator it is required:

(a) To be a Cuban by birth.

(b) To be at least 30 years of age.

(c) To have the full enjoyment of civil and political rights.

(d) Not to have been a member of the armed forces of the Republic, in active service, during the 2 years immediately prior to the date of his designation as a candidate.

122. The functions of the Senate are:

(a) To sit as a court, to try the President of the Republic when he is accused by the House of Representatives of a crime against the external safety of the Nation, against the unrestricted operation of the legislative or judicial branches, or infringement of constitutional precepts.