All four documents published together in a bilingual edition. This is the second edition of a monumental work published on Independence Day, 1986, as a tribute to the United States by thousands of Hispanics from across the nation.
To our knowledge, this is the first time that all four documents have been published together in a bilingual edition. It is not the first time, however, that they have been translated into Spanish but, except for a translation of the Constitution done in Seville, Spain, in the middle of the nineteenth century, all of the others, leave much to be desired in terms of their overall quality. Most are literal translations hastily done with no regard to the spirit and profound meaning of the originals, choosing hollow words and expressions that in no way convey what was meant to be a milestone of American history. They served to establish the greatest democratic republic the world has ever known, which to the amazement of all has endured uninterruptedly for over 200 years. However, we affirm and maintain that the ideals and principles they embodied, especially the Constitution, were forged and directed to a selected minority and not the society at large then in its infancy, a minority fully cognizant of the value and true meaning of liberty and freedom. It is but a miracle that given such circumstances it has survived this long, due, perhaps, to the homogenous nature of society, to a well- orchestrated educational system, and, yes, to economic prosperity. But, today's American society is rapidly becoming fragmented with powerful forces pulling not toward the center as in the past, but toward individual beliefs and pursuits based on a plethora of diverse ideologies that are tearing those ideals and principles apart. Today, we question their validity and cast a shadow on their effectiveness as the supreme laws of the land. And thus, there is the danger that one day those documents may become antiquated and break into little pieces plunging humanity into a dark and deep abyss. Granted, democracy is not perfect and the United States has had its share of ill-conceived policies and mistakes, but what's the alternative? History has shown that no nation, from time immemorial, has succeeded in the governing of men no matter how well intended or devised. In the first edition of this publication we referred to the United States as the "eternal land of dreams," committed to the pursuit of Happiness for all men as stated in its "Declaration of I