quote:

---

Cuba could become the first Caribbean island nation to recognise the civil and inheritance rights of gay and lesbian couples, if a proposed reform of the Family Code is approved.

"I can't guarantee that it will reach parliament this year," said sexologist Mariela Castro, director of the governmental National Centre for Sex Education (CENESEX). "That is our hope, but it does not depend on us, and of course, it is facing a great deal of resistance," she told IPS.

Opponents of the measure set forth arguments like "Cuban society is not prepared" or "this is not the right time."

The proposal would give homosexual couples the same civil and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples. However, it does not mention gay marriage, because a change of that magnitude would require a lengthy process of reforming the constitution, which was last amended in 1992.

"That proposal will be made when the time is ripe. For now, it is sufficient to reform the Family Code, which is recognised as a branch of Cuban law," said Castro, who is the niece of Raúl Castro, acting president while his brother Fidel convalesces from a series of intestinal operations.

Abelardo Estorino, Cuba's foremost living playwright, told IPS that he was surprised by how advanced the proposal is and how fast Cuba is catching up to the relatively small group of countries that recognise the rights of homosexual couples.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, laws on gay rights have only been approved in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, while draft laws are under consideration in Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay.

And in the Caribbean, there are countries like Jamaica that still have laws on the books that severely punish homosexual relations.

The Family Code, which was originally approved in 1975 and submitted to a review process by the FMC since about 15 years ago, would now stipulate that the family has the responsibility and duty to accept and care for all of its members, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

If the initiative is approved, gay and lesbian couples would enjoy the same civil, patrimonial, inheritance, housing and adoption rights as heterosexual couples.

---

quote:

---

Drawn up by the non-governmental Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) with support from CENESEX, the draft reform of the Family Code has been presented to the Political Bureau, the highest body of the ruling Communist Party. "We are waiting for approval in order to introduce it to parliament as a draft law," said Castro.

---

"Castro" here is one of Fidel's relatives. And the Federation of Cuban Women is the official CP-sponsored womens organization, the only one allowed in Cuba.

Amazingly, though, I can't find mention of the proposal in Granma, the Communist Party Daily in Cuba, nor can I find any discussion anywhere in Cuba about it. For example, supposedly it is supported by Cenesex, the National Education Sex Education Centre, but they have no mention of it on line.

Similarly, the Cuban Women's Federation, supposedly a sponsor of the proposal, doesn't mention it on its website either.

quote:

---

Colombia is set to become the first Latin American country to give established gay couples full rights to health insurance, inheritance and social security under a bill passed by its Congress.

The plan approved Thursday is expected to take effect soon. It is backed by President Alvaro Uribe.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by jeff house:
Working explanation for this amazing absence of such an important story in Cuba, yet we get it reported on babble? My guess: It's just propaganda.

---