Havana, Cuba – In a rose and butter-yellow building held up by Greek columns, Cuba’s LGBTQ activists work every day to advance equality. This building, formerly someone’s mansion and now repurposed by the socialist government, houses the National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX).

From May 7 to 14, an LGBTQ delegation from the U.S. got to meet with CENESEX organizers, health workers and other public servants.

CENESEX helped organize hundreds of neighborhood meetings to debate and amend the new Families Code, covered in our last delegation report. The law went through 25 drafts to account for commentary from the people. But well before the Code, CENESEX led the country through advance after advance on LGBTQ issues.

“The basis of a socialist democracy”

In 1972, the Federation of Cuban Women founded the National Sex Education Working Group, CENESEX’s predecessor. This was a response to the growing demand for sex education as women gained reproductive autonomy.

The working group helped provide hormones and eventually surgery to a trans man for the first time in Cuba’s history. It had to fight strong pushback from conservatives for doing so. But it only gained strength and support.

By 1989, the working group became CENESEX, its own government organization under the Ministry of Health. Over the next few years, CENESEX fought hard for transgender people. By 2007, it won approval from the legislature to ensure free gender-affirming surgery as part of the national health system.

“We are building the basis of a socialist democracy. Socialism cannot be declared by law or decree, it is built by consensus,” CENESEX director Mariela Castro told the delegation.

The surgeon who performed Cuba’s first gender-affirming surgery would later transition herself, with CENESEX’s support.

Today, CENESEX is creating work teams to promote gender medicine access in every province. The organization also teaches trans inclusivity to government agencies, including tourism officials and the police. The delegation asked Gustavo Valdés Pi of CENESEX where a trans person could go if they experienced police harassment. He pointed to a corner of his building’s wrap-around indoor balcony.

“To the second floor, that’s our free legal office” he said. Cuba has far fewer police officers than the U.S., and they suffer severe penalties for misconduct. They are also frequently unarmed.

“You cannot just export our health system”

The delegation met with representatives of three LGBTQ community networks. “Men Sexually Relating with Men” (HSH) is officially its own agency of non-professional healthcare workers under the Ministry of Health. It’s mainly active in preventing HIV transmission. The “Network of Lesbian and Bisexual Women,” directly under CENESEX, combats bullying and runs national workshops promoting lesbian and bisexual visibility.

“TransCuba,” the largest network, was founded to address three main problems of police harassment, surgery access, and legal ID recognition. It also distributes condoms and helps to prevent HIV transmission. While the organization mostly recruits trans women, members like Verde Gil Jímenez of Santa Clara are leading programs for trans men.

To learn about the world-class healthcare system at the base of Cuba’s HIV prevention, the delegation also visited a polyclinic. The country ensures that doctors are accessible in every neighborhood. CENESEX integrates its educational programs throughout the health system, and polyclinics participate in the annual “working days against homophobia and transphobia.”

“You cannot just export our health system because it depends on the political will of the government,” said Dr. Ruben García Lopez de Villavicenci of the Plaza de la Revolución Polyclinic.

“The U.S. has tried to recruit from CENESEX”

When asked about their biggest obstacle to promoting LGBTQ rights, Cuban activists were clear: the United States.

Valdés Pi discussed how, since the defeat of the Soviet Union, Christian fundamentalists trickled into the island. They came with American money and preached bigotry.

The softer imperialist approach tries to co-opt community organizers. “The U.S. has tried to recruit from CENESEX and use them against us,” Castro told the delegation. She noted that recruits get paid speaking tours across the U.S. but do nothing for the LGBTQ community in Cuba.

The United States’ criminal blockade prevents hormones, surgical supplies, condoms, syringes and other basic medical necessities from entering the island. The delegation brought 10,000 condoms and a suitcase full of medical equipment to combat this. After a visit to a biotechnology center, the group learned how the blockade impacts the U.S. as well. Because of it, U.S. residents can’t access Cuba’s breakthrough treatments for cancer, diabetes, COVID-19 and other diseases.

“Down with the blockade, up with the love!”

While LGBTQ Cubans can’t count on their northern neighbor, they can count on their party. “The Communist Party supports progress for LGBTQ people. The Party promoted the first gender affirming surgery, discrimination protections in the 2019 constitution, and supports CENESEX. I am a member,” Mariela Castro told a delegate. Because working people run the government and get representation through the Communist Party, Cuban leaders are constantly thinking about how to put people’s needs first.

On May 13, the delegation ended its visit by marching in the annual “Conga Against Homophobia and Transphobia.” There were no police or corporate ads in sight. Up and down 23rd Street, LGBTQ Cubans sang, danced, kissed, held hands, showed off their glittered outfits, and waved both rainbow and Cuban flags. Signs reading “LGBTQ against the U.S. blockade” by the U.S. organization “Women in Struggle – Mujeres en Lucha” were visible from sidewalk to sidewalk. A flag reading “Cuba Yes! Blockade No!” by Real Name Campaign NOLA blew in the wind by the front of the march.

Participants chanted “Down with the blockade, up with the love!” and “What do we celebrate? Love is the law!” They held nothing back to show their pride, in their true selves and in the power of the working class.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #Cuba #LGBTQ #Americas

Havana, Cuba – It’s hard to imagine when you live under state governments banning gender-affirming healthcare, but 100 miles off of Florida’s shore is an island striking unrelenting blows against bigotry.

From May 7 to 14, I joined a US delegation of LGBTQ activists who traveled to Cuba. The group took part in the country’s annual “working days against homophobia and transphobia.” This year’s working days were special because they followed the passage of Cuba’s groundbreaking Families Code.

On May 3, a few days ahead of the full delegation’s arrival, a part of the group attended the International Trans Identities Colloquium. The event’s host was Mariela Castro Espín, director of Cuba’s National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX) and daughter of Cuban revolutionary leaders Vilma Espín and Raul Castro. The main panelists were scholars discussing practical educational and health policies for ordinary trans people.

“Even today, U.S. imperialists spread lies”

On May 5, part of the delegation joined a CENESEX contingent to march for International Workers Day. Because of severe weather, the country couldn’t hold the celebration on the traditional May 1. So, Friday morning, with the rest of Havana, the group woke up at 3 a.m. to get ready. Once arrived at the city seawall, CENESEX members unfurled a pride flag the size of a bus.

 “Long live the revolution!” participants chanted.

Then, after the sun rose over the water, the country’s political leaders spoke.

“Even today, U.S. imperialists spread lies about our country. They say that Cubans, young Cubans, are losing interest in May Day, in socialism. What will they say when images come out showing the hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people out in the streets today?” asked Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, general secretary of the Cuban Workers’ Federation.

“All kinds of non-nuclear families”

On May 6, the colloquium participants attended the spectacular Gala against Homophobia and Transphobia at the National Theater. Actors played out skits of families learning acceptance, drag queens strutted across the stage, rock singers hyped the crowd, ballerinas and capoeira dancers depicted love and conflict, and members of a brass band stood up from audience seats. They got us all on our feet and clapping. The band kept playing outside as we made our way out, taking me back home to a New Orleans second line. All available to the Cuban people for less than 40 cents per ticket. The same chorus rang throughout the performances: “Love is the law!”

This slogan celebrates the passage of new Families Code last year. After other delegation members arrived on May 7, we spent several days speaking with CENESEX legal advisors to learn what this law was all about. The plural word “families” is intentional, to represent the diversity of family life in Cuba. The code recognizes legal marriage between any two persons, and it acknowledges that all kinds of non-nuclear families can exist.

Grandparents taking care of grandchildren could be a legally protected family. Two non-married lesbian couples living together with adopted children, or even a parent using a non-blood relative’s help could be another. Anyone can prove family membership in court with enough evidence of caretaking.

An important consequence of this is that housewives in civil unions can receive economic protections. Another is that people living with HIV and disabled people can establish chosen families. CENESEX’s social networks help to connect them with this kind of care. The code also establishes protections for surrogacy without pay, and protects reproductive assistance for people living with HIV.

The progress principle

When it comes to children’s rights, the Families Code introduced the legal standard of “progressive autonomy.” This means that children get an age-appropriate say in family cases, such as custody or domestic violence. The code establishes “family defense” offices with teams of lawyers, psychologists, and social workers. Children can bring claims to these offices without a parent or guardian. The offices evaluate the child’s maturity and take their claim to court.

Transgender children could use this to raise issues in their families. While many U.S. states are rolling back trans kids’ rights, Cuba is laying a legal foundation for trans kids to dispute family intolerance.

The new code has its roots in the 2019 Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Cuban people widely debated, amended and approved both the Constitution and the Code by popular referendum.

“In Cuba, our Constitution includes the progress principle,” Mariela Castro told us. This means that any rights given cannot be taken away.

The Families Code is the Cuban working class’ response to changing material conditions. Both marriage and birth rates are lower, so vulnerable people need more ways to find love and support. The “revolution within the revolution” is weakening patriarchal attitudes, and women have more economic freedom. LGBTQ people are proudly coming out. Cuban socialism is adapting to ensure people’s equality and dignity.

Women in Struggle – Mujeres en Lucha, a national organization of gender-oppressed people fighting oppression, led the delegation. I joined to represent the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Real Name Campaign NOLA.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #Cuba

One presenter, James Jordan, a leader in the Free Simon Trinidad/Ricardo Palmera campaign, delivered a lecture entitled “The Imperial Infrastructure: Why Does the U.S. Build Foreign Military Bases and Jails?” It was well received and tied together several struggles, including opposition to police brutality, the prison-industrial complex, and U.S. intervention.

The following is an interview with Jordan.

What are the connections between the movement to abolish foreign military bases and the Colombian solidarity movement? James Jordan: The obvious connection is there are several U.S. bases in Colombia. However, you also can see the connection in that the Colombian government and its military follow all of the whims, decisions and directions of the U.S. government. So, in some ways, Colombia itself is a U.S. military base. In other words, U.S. military has effectively turned Colombia into an outpost of U.S. imperialism. The Colombian military is able to carry out what the U.S. military can’t get away with.

This is day two of the conference. Thus far, in what ways do you see this event uniting forces from countries around the world to move forward in the movement to abolish foreign military bases? Jordan: What I see coming out of World Peace Council is an emerging campaign to shut down NATO. What hasn’t come together yet, but what I hope this event will lead to, is international days of action against war in Syria and ongoing interventions around the world. This seminar brings together an international movement that I believe will be really sharp against NATO and vocal in the call to dismantle it. I hope it will contribute to and call for worldwide action against aggressions that are leading us to the possibility of World War Three and nuclear conflict.

This seminar comes at a historic moment. Not only are the Cuban and U.S. governments taking steps to normalize relations, but there is also the Colombia peace process happening in Havana, Cuba. How do the National Committee to Free Simon Trinidad / Ricardo Palmera goals intersect with the seminar’s goals? Jordan: The seminar has reiterated support for the peace process in Colombia. This is good because the peace process will not endure without international support. All forces working for world peace must pay attention to these negotiations and raise our voices in support. Adding international voices to the demand to free Simon Trinidad is important and absolutely crucial to moving the peace process forward.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #Colombia #Cuba #GuantanamoBay #SimónTrinidad #fourthInternationalSeminarForPeaceAndAbolitionOfForeignMilitaryBases #JamesJordan #Americas

On the morning of Nov. 23, with over 150 people present, the President of the Cuban Movement for Peace & Sovereignty, Silvio Andrés Platero Yrola, and the president of the World Peace Council, Maria Do Socorro Gómes, welcomed the delegates and gave opening remarks. Each emphasized the goals of the meeting: to strengthen the movement against foreign military bases imposed against the will of the people – particularly the U.S. military base in Guantanamo – end the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba, and to solidify international solidarity.

In addition to providing demographic information on Guantanamo province and the harmful effects the U.S. military base has had on the environment, speakers also placed the base at Guantanamo within the context the U.S.’s overwhelming military presence on the entire planet.

The ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador and the ambassador of Bolivia reaffirmed the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States declaration of Latin America as a peace zone and thanked participants for their presence and political work.

In the evening, delegates attended a cultural gala: My Guantanamo That Is Not The Naval Base. Performers at the gala demonstrated the rich culture of the province, including dancing, orchestral performances and singing. The gala illustrated that, while it is important to raise awareness around the U.S.’s use of torture at the naval base, the citizens of Guantanamo province and all the Cuban people are true models of how to move forward: with an enthusiasm for life and art, resilience and determination.

Although the Cubans see the normalization of relations with the U.S. as a step forward, they know it will be a long process that will not be complete until their demands are met: an end to the blockade, returning the land currently occupied by the U.S. naval base, and compensation for all the losses incurred due to the blockade.

Along with the Cuban people, the participants in this conference, and those all around the world who stand in solidarity with Cuba, are taking steps to ensure that happens.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #AntiwarMovement #Cuba #InternationalSeminarForPeaceAndAbolitionOfForeignMilitaryBases #Americas

Havana, Cuba – On May 1, hundreds of thousands of Cuban workers marched through Revolution Square to mark International Workers’ Day. Marchers at the front carried the banner bearing the words of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC) declaration at their most recent Congress: “United in the construction of socialism.”

The event began at the crack of dawn with a rousing speech by the CTC Secretary General Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento. He spoke of the important role that workers and their labor unions play in furthering the socialist revolution.

The CTC Secretary General continued, “Within a political context characterized by the U.S. government’s recognition that their policy of harassment, aggression and blockade toward our country has failed, some steps have been taken toward the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the U.S. A long and difficult road, however, remains before us, and we will only advance toward normalization of bilateral ties on the basis of respect for the sovereignty and independence of Cuba, which includes the lifting of the blockade and the return of our territory illegally occupied by the Guantánamo Naval Base.”

Most of all, the CTC leader celebrated the bravery of Cuba's recently freed heroes, the Cuban Five. The Five were recently returned to Cuba from prisons in the U.S. after leading a counter-terrorism operation against Cuban exiles in Miami who were responsible for bombings in Cuba. The Five were invited to lead this year's march along with their families.

He went on to speak of Cuba’s support for Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution saying, “We firmly reject all external intervention there, as well as destabilization efforts, violence and economic war which violate the constitutional order, sovereignty, independence and self-determination of the Venezuelan people.”

Standing on a podium overlooking the crowd, Cuban President Raul Castro was accompanied by the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro as they waved and cheered on the crowd. As the rain began to pour down, the Cuban people chanted in unison “Long live socialism” and “Long live free Cuba” and “Long live the Five.”

The huge numbers of people took several hours to march through Revolution Plaza. The gathering ended with the singing of the revolutionary workers' song, the Internationale. There was a special salute to “hundreds of friends from different trade union organizations, social movements and solidarity groups” from other countries. The Cuban people's May Day celebration of their victories and their determination to build socialism, serves is an inspiration to all who want a better world.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #Labor #Cuba #MayDay #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #Socialism

FARC invites Miss Universe to Havana

Ms. Paulina Vega

Miss Universe

We read with interest about your desire to contribute with your good offices to peace and reconciliation of the Colombian people.

We welcome your willingness to travel to Havana and we invite you to materialize your visit to update you about the development of the peace talks, the progress and the enormous contribution that you and the majorities who desire peace can make.

Be assured that we are willing to address your concerns and consider your views a valuable contribution to peace; we are waiting for your confirmation and your contribution.

Sincerely,

Peace Delegation of the FARC-EP

#Colombia #Americas #RevolutionaryArmedForcesOfColombiaPeoplesArmyFARCEP #MissUniverse #Havana

Infant mortality rate is considered one of the key indicators of health in a society. A lower rate is better, meaning fewer babies die before reaching one year of age. The rates are directly affected by the quality of prenatal and postnatal care that mothers and their babies receive.

Other Third World countries near Cuba had estimated 2013 infant mortality rates exponentially higher than Cuba: Haiti’s rate was 50.92, Dominican Republic’s rate was 11.99, Jamaica’s rate was 13.98 and Mexico’s rate was 16.26. The difference between those numbers and Cuba's infant mortality rate of 4.2 can only be explained by socialist Cuba’s free, universal public health care system.

Cuba’s health system is the envy of the world. Despite being a poor country under a decades-long blockade by the U.S. government, the Caribbean island country’s population’s health rivals and even bests the richest capitalist countries in the world, and is light years ahead of other poor countries. Cuba continues to show ongoing health improvements among the population because their health system implements the socialist value of putting the wellbeing of the people first, rather than aiming to making profits off of health care.

#HavanaCuba #Havana #Cuba #Americas