Cuba's New President Backs Same-Sex Marriage [View all]
Source: NBC News
By Brooke Sopelsa, 9:45 AM ET
In his first interview since taking office, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said he supports gay marriage. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his first interview since taking office in April that he supports a proposed change to the constitution to allow same-sex marriage.
"I defend there being no kind of discrimination," he said, although he added that it is up to the Cuban people to decide whether to include the change. The interview with the Venezuela-based television station Telesur aired on Sunday evening. Cuba is currently drafting a new constitution that is being debated at community meetings throughout the Caribbean island nation. The document will replace Cubas Cold War-era constitution.
Diaz-Canel, 58, joins Cuban lawmaker Mariela Castro in support of legalizing gay marriage in the country. Mariela Castro is the daughter of Raul Castro Diaz-Canels predecessor and the current leader of the Communist Party and the niece of Fidel Castro.
At a news conference in May, Mariela Castro said she would push for same-sex marriage to be included in the countrys constitutional reform process, which began in July. She also spoke of the need for tougher sanctions for anti-LGBTQ violence, according to Latin American news outlet Telesur...
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/cuba-s-new-president-backs-same-sex-marriage-n910196
