Cuba legalized gay marriage Monday after voting in favor of a family code allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt kids, according to reports.
Around 3,936,790 voted in favor of the referendum as of around 9 a.m. ET Monday morning, the country’s National Electoral Council announced, according to CNN. Just under 2 million Cubans reportedly voted against the code. The election had a turnout of 74.1%, according to the outlet.
The referendum faced strong opposition from the nation’s rising evangelical movement, ABC News noted. The measure reportedly saw approval from 66.9% of voters, along with significant government campaign support. Policies in Cuba often have victory margins of over 90%, with solely the Communist Party being permitted to participate in Cuban elections, the outlet noted. (RELATED: ‘An Evil Ideology’: Meet The Two Survivors Educating America About The Dangers Of Socialist Regimes)
Cuba has legalized same-sex marriage after Cubans voted in favor of a family code that extends greater protection to women, children and the elderly. It now will allow LGBTQ couples to marry and adopt children. https://t.co/E0pofCemJQ pic.twitter.com/cjHhTXuL4Z
— CNN (@CNN) September 26, 2022
Along with allowing same-sex partners to marry and adopt children, the 100-page code supports equal distribution of domestic rights and responsibilities between men and women, Reuters reported.
Ganó el Sí. Se ha hecho justicia. Aprobar el #CódigoDeLasFamilias es hacer justicia. Es saldar una deuda con varias generaciones de cubanas y cubanos, cuyos proyectos de familia llevan años esperando por esta Ley. A partir de hoy seremos una nación mejor. #ElAmorYaEsLey ❤️🇨🇺 pic.twitter.com/O5o0Hi2cm1
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) September 26, 2022
The passage of the code is to “pay a debt to various generation of Cubans whose domestic plans had been waiting years for this law,” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel tweeted Monday, according to ABC News. “As of today, we will be a better nation,” the president continued.