International
Cubans to vote in referendum on same-sex marriage
AFP | by Leticia PINEDA
Cubans on Sunday will vote in a landmark referendum on whether to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption, allow surrogate pregnancies and give greater rights to non-biological parents.
The new family code, promoted by the communist government, would represent a major shift in Cuba, where the culture of machismo is strong and where the LGBTQ community was ostracized by authorities in the 1960s and 1970s.
More than eight million Cubans over 16 are invited to vote “Yes” or “No” amid the country’s worst economic crisis in 30 years, and experts say the referendum could turn into an opportunity to voice opposition against the government.
If approved, the new family code would replace a law in effect since 1975 and define marriage as the union between two people, rather than that of a man and a woman.
It would also permit surrogate pregnancies, as long as no money changes hands, while boosting children’s rights and those of the elderly and people with disabilities.
“The family code sets out above all respect for human beings, respect for each (person) and everyone,” said President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
Polling stations will be open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm local time.
‘I’m Christian, I have other ideas’
The official attitude toward homosexuality has changed significantly over the past 20 years, and the government has put much effort into the “Yes” campaign on television and social media.
“I couldn’t care less if two men marry or two women marry, I don’t have that prejudice,” 67-year-old retiree Reinaldo Orgalles told AFP. “I’m from another era, but I don’t have that prejudice.”
In 2019, the government sought to include same-sex marriage rights in the country’s new constitution but balked after criticism from the Catholic and Evangelical Churches.
The Conference of Bishops recently reiterated its opposition to some of the key provisions of the new code, such as allowing surrogate pregnancies.
“It is unethical… when a woman who has carried a baby in her womb for nine months must hand it over to others straight after birth,” the bishops said.
Zulika Corso, 65, a teacher in central Havana agrees.
“I’m Christian, I have other ideas, I don’t accept this,” she said.
‘More important subjects’
Between February and April, a vast public debate took place across Cuba, with more than 79,000 neighborhood meetings held to discuss the new family rights.
That resulted in more than half the original text being modified, according to official media.
Still, political scientist Rafael Hernandez calls it the “most important human rights legislation” in Cuba since the 1959 revolution.
The law would be one of the most progressive in Latin America, where same-sex marriage is only legal in eight other countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay and some Mexican states.
But experts also say the sheer size of the code — it contains some 500 articles — could work against it.
Some Cubans, for example, have expressed support for same-sex marriage but oppose surrogate pregnancies.
“I still haven’t decided because there are some things I consider good and many others I don’t consider good,” said Airam Zulueta, a restaurant owner.
Six decades after the revolution, Cuba is experiencing its worst economic crisis in 30 years, fueled by ramped-up US sanctions and a tourism collapse due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Many Cubans are struggling to access medicine, electricity, fuel and basic foodstuffs amid critical import shortages and staggering inflation.
The country erupted in historic anti-government protests last summer by citizens clamoring for food and greater freedoms.
Hundreds were detained and jailed, but crackdown has not stopped repeated demonstrations in recent months in a country notoriously intolerant of dissent.
Many voters could use this occasion to express disapproval of the government, experts have said.
“There are many other subjects that are more important than the family code, like the fact there is no food, that many people are hungry,” concierge Julio Cesar Vazquez told AFP.
Dissidents and the banned opposition, short of other means to express themselves, have called on citizens to reject the new code or to abstain from voting.
The law needs more than 50 percent of the vote to be adopted.
International
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal
Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.
The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.
The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).
“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.
Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”
International
Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders
President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.
Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.
A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”
According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.
International
Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join
Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.
Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.
“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.
“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.
Guatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping
Venezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
-
International4 days agoSon of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”
-
International4 days agoMiyazaki’s style goes viral with AI but at what cost?
-
Central America2 days agoU.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border
-
International2 days agoTrump urges Putin to reach peace deal
-
Central America3 days agoPanama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending
-
Central America2 days agoPanama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua
-
International3 days agoDeportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links
-
International3 hours agoParaguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal
-
Central America5 days ago
Nicaragua revokes legal status of 10 more NGOs, bringing total to over 5,600
-
Sports3 hours agoFilipe Luis debuts as coach in Copa Libertadores with Flamengo
-
International3 hours agoICE agent’s arrest of suspect sparks controversy in Boston
-
International3 hours agoÓscar Arias: Trump’s trade policies are a step backward
-
Sports3 hours agoVenezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain
-
International3 hours agoMilei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join
-
Central America36 mins agoGuatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping
-
International3 hours agoElon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders