Mariela Castro Leads Gay Rights Conga Line in Havana

Mariela Castro, gay rights activist and daughter of President Raul Castro, led a gay rights street dance in Havana on Saturday:

"Participants formed a carnival-style conga line around two city blocks to the beat of drums, accompanied by costumed stilt-walkers. Events also included educational panels and presentations for books, magazines and CDs about gay rights and sexual diversity. 'We're calling on the Cuban people to participate ... so that the revolution can be deeper and include all the needs of the human being,' said Mariela Castro..."

Watch some brief video of the event, AFTER THE JUMP...

Obama Orders CIA Prisons Shut, Guantanamo Within Year

It begins.

"With three executive orders and a presidential directive signed in the Oval Office Thursday, Obama started reshaping how the United States prosecutes and questions al-Qaida, Taliban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans. The centerpiece order would close the much-maligned U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba — a complicated process with many unanswered questions that was nonetheless a key campaign promise of Obama's. The administration already has suspended trials for terrorist suspects at Guantanamo for 120 days pending a review of the military tribunals."

Mariela Castro on Same-Sex Marriage, HIV/AIDS, Gay Rights in Cuba

Russia Today has posted an informative and comprehensive interview with Mariela Castro, daughter of the nation's President Raul, and Director of the National Center for Sex Education in Cuba.

The interview covers the possibility of same-sex unions in a predominantly Catholic, Communist state, overcoming stigmas and legislative barriers, when a bill might be passed legalizing same-sex unions in Cuba, the country's history of homophobia, HIV/AIDS, and the support she receives from Raul Castro of her work on sexual education.

Said Castro on the latter topic: "Yes, he's supportive of my work, thanks to the past influence of my mother, on sexual education, and mine. Of course, from time to time we have discussions meant to convince him of the need for quicker solutions. He's also influenced by other people that disagree with my work, and it's those people who create obstacles. But I believe that dialogue is fundamental to progress, so whenever I have a chance to sit down and talk with my father to convince him, I do so."

Watch the entire interview, AFTER THE JUMP...

Update on Cuban Activists Arrested Prior to Planned Gay Rights March

Some additional information out of Havana on what went down before yesterday's planned gay rights march there. The Miami Herald, reports on a conference call from gay Cuban activists in Havana to Miami:

"'The march was not able to take place because the government stopped our leaders,' said Ron Brenesky, a Miami Cuban who heads the Unity Coalition, South Florida's largest Latin gay rights group. 'Our brothers and sisters in Cuba, they are not alone,' said Brenesky, who spoke with gay activists in Cuba by cellphone Wednesday evening. Unity Coalition members gathered for the phone call at Club Azucar on Southwest 32nd Avenue in Little Havana. Dissident Ignacio Estrada Cepero told Brenesky and the others that he was detained early Wednesday before the planned rally in Havana. Security guards told him he didn't have permission to leave his home province of Santa Clara, Brenesky said. Cuban Aliomar Janjaque was put on house arrest after being warned not to gather in a park with other gay dissidents, he told Unity Coalition members. The park was taken over by security forces, Janjaque said."

Ambiente sent out a press release yesterday reporting that some sort of assault went down as well. More information as it comes...

Report: Gay March Organizers, Beaten, Arrested by Police

Troubling reports in a release just sent out by Ambiente:

"Today, June 25th, starting at ten o'clock, the first ever Cuban Gay Pride march under the slogan 'You are not alone' attempted to take place in Havana for the liberation and respect of sexual diversity in Cuba, but as organizers arrived at the scheduled starting point, several of them were met by Cuban police, who beat & arrested several of them."

According to Ambiente, The Cuban Commission on Human Rights for people with HIV and Sexual Races, the Cuban League against AIDS, Elena Mederos Foundation, The Foundation LGTB Reinaldo Arenas in Memoriam, Elena Mederos Foundation, the Cuban Movement for Gay Liberation, the Havana Transsexual Collective, Havana LGTB Cultural Center and the Organization of Gay Political Presidio Reinaldo Arenas were all expected to participate in the march."

It was to begin in the "Don Quixote" park in the neighborhood of Vedado and march to the Ministry of Justice "with the goal of delivering their demands to the Castro government," according to Ambiente. Demands included the cessation of violence and repression against Cuban homosexuals, and an apology to the Cuban people for the introduction in the 60's of UMAP concentration camps (Military Units to Aid Production) that were created by the dictator Fidel Castro, to suppress and punish homosexuals and the religious youth who opposed his Marxist ideology.

The Guardian reported on the planned march earlier today.

Cuba's Catholic Church yesterday protested the government's growing openness on gay rights in an editorial in Palabra Nueva, the monthly magazine of the Archdiocese of Havana, which said "Respect for the homosexual person, yes. Promotion of homosexuality, no."

There is a press conference scheduled for 5:30pm today at which details about this morning's incident will be provided.

UPDATE: The Sun-Sentinel has reports of an arrest, but not much more information aside from that the march was cancelled before it began.

Gay Cubans Mark their Territory Outside of Havana

Gay Cubans certainly have more to be hopeful about this year than in year's past, with last month's massive gay rights rally and the news that this month Cuba's parliament is expected to consider a gay rights bill.

Outside Havana over the weekend, a sort of ceremonial gay pride gathering and party was held at the beach where a flag was planted.
(via reuters)