Cuba’s LGBTQ community celebrates same-sex marriage with pride conga

On Saturday, May 13 around 200 Cubans marched in Havana to the rhythm of conga, a popular dance, protesting against homophobia and transphobia, and celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriage

Chanting “Socialism yes, homophobia no,” demonstrators swayed their hips and beat rhythmically on drums as they cheered the ‘Family Code’, passed last September

The code permits surrogate pregnancies as long as no money changes hands and legally recognizes same-sex adoptions, as well as several fathers or mothers in addition to the biological parents

It also defines marriage as the union between two people, rather than that of a man and a woman, while boosting the rights of children, the elderly, and the disabled

“It was a debt the revolutionary process owed” to Cuba’s LGBTQ community, Ana Clara Leon, a student parading with a rainbow flag tied around her waist, told AFP

Yoilan Balon, a coordinator for the

Transcuba network promoting trans rights, said, “It was something that all gay people were waiting for, who wanted to consummate their couple relationship ”

Diana Pena, who organizes the network’s youth outreach, said the conga pride parade suited Cuba’s spirit

“It is the conga of pride We Cubans are very much about partying, conga, fun, and this way we can express our diversity ”

The march was led by Mariela Castro, daughter of one of Cuba’s revolutionary leaders Raul Castro and a supporter of the Family Code, alongside Lis Cuesta, wife of President Miguel Diaz-Canel

Cuba’s machismo culture was exacerbated in the 1960s and 1970s, when the government ostracized the LGBTQ community, sending many to militarized agricultural labor camps

Oil company pumps billions of dollars into Guyana’s economy

Oil company ExxonMobil Guyana says it has injected more than GUY$80 billion into the local economy as the government this week approved its 2023 plan as well as providing a certificate for complying with its local content plan last year

The GUY$80 billion in investment forms part of the more than GUY$180 billion spent since 2015

“By the end of 2022, the company and contractors had employed over 5,000

Guyanese workers, representing more than 65 per cent of the overall workforce in the local oil and gas industry

“Notably, the numbers of Guyanese working offshore continued to grow Among the 2,700 personnel committed to supporting ExxonMobil Guyana’s operations, over 1,300 were Guyanese, constituting approximately 48 per cent of the offshore workforce,” the company said in a statement

The company said in the 2023 plan it intends to execute projects and implement systems to promote the development of local content this year

“ExxonMobil Guyana’s evolving strategic plan for operational growth includes balancing meeting the needs of the business while developing Guyanese content in a phased approach,” the company said, adding “It is assessed annually to ensure objectives are met in a sustainable and systematic manner ”