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
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
International
Mexico Arrests CJNG Leader “El Jardinero” in Nayarit
Mexican authorities arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero,” on Monday during a naval operation in the western state of Nayarit, delivering another major blow to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
Flores was considered one of the top regional leaders within the cartel and had reportedly overseen criminal operations along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Security analysts viewed him as a potential successor to slain drug kingpin Nemesio Oseguera.
The arrest was carried out by Mexico’s Navy Special Forces in a planned operation, according to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch.
The United States Department of the Treasury had previously identified Flores as a “significant foreign narcotics trafficker,” while U.S. authorities offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture and extradition.
A U.S. grand jury indicted Flores in 2021 on charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin.
His capture comes months after the reported death of “El Mencho,” an operation that Mexican authorities considered a priority due to the cartel leader’s alleged involvement in a 2020 assassination attempt against García Harfuch.
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Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
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