U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee from Florida proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to require citizenship to vote, and Cuba searches for ways to address an energy crisis.
Florida lawmaker proposes constitutional amendment requiring U.S. citizenship to vote
Republican U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee from Florida is proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring citizenship to vote in federal elections.
If passed, it would apply to all primaries and elections for presidents, vice presidents, and members of the U.S. House and Senate.
In a post on social media, Lee thanked her co-sponsors on the measure, including Rep. Mike Haridopolus, R-Fla., going on to say, “We must ensure that American citizens are the only ones voting in our elections.”
The proposal comes as the Senate debates the Save America Act.
That’s the legislation also requiring voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship in federal elections.
Republicans believe it will restore voting integrity, but Democrats and voting-rights groups say the bill would lead to voter suppression.
The legislation is not expected to pass.
Cuba is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russian oil this year, just days after the government announced it was operating on natural gas, solar power and thermoelectric plants as severe power outages continue to hit an island whose power grid is crumbling.
The Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin is some 3,000 nautical miles from Cuba in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the island in a little over a week, Jorge Piñón, an expert at the University of Texas Energy Institute, told The Associated Press.
If so, that would mark the first time any oil shipment from any country reaches Cuba in the past three months given a U.S. energy blockade.
The tanker is carrying 730,000 barrels of fuel and is on the list of vessels of its type sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom following the war in Ukraine, Piñón said.
He added that it’s hard to determine how long that amount of fuel could sustain Cuba: “We’re talking about crude oil that has to be refined into liquid fuels. … Each product has its specific demand.”
Piñón said the anticipated shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel –– enough to feed Cuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.
Cuba produces barely 40% of its petroleum; the rest is obtained from Russia, Mexico and Venezuela.
But critical shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its now deposed leader Nicolás Maduro — a key commercial and ideological partner for Cuba.
In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. That month, Mexico halted its oil shipments to Cuba.
The situation has deepened the island’s energy and economic crises, leading to 10-hour blackouts, forcing a reduction in working hours, limiting transportation and leading to a drop in tourism — previously one of its main sources of income.
The worsening situation also has sparked small protests.
Cuba has been experiencing a severe economic crisis since the beginning of this decade due to tightened U.S. sanctions, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and an internal financial reform that triggered inflation.
Food and medicine shortages have become a reality for Cubans. Meanwhile, the crises have unleashed a surge in emigration, particularly of young people and skilled workers, to the U.S., Mexico and Europe.
This week, as part of an ongoing international convoy to help Cuba, European activists delivered more than four tons of medical supplies to the island. Brazil also announced it would send 20,000 tons of food, mainly rice, beans and powdered milk, while a group of parliamentarians from Chile arrived with more aid on Thursday.
More aid is expected to arrive Friday via plane and Saturday via a large flotilla, including solar panels, medical supplies and nonperishable food collected by activists in Mexico. Among those expected to travel to Cuba are British Parliamentarian Jeremy Corbyn and Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap.
The flotilla will consist of three ships, 30 tons of humanitarian aid and 40 people. Thiago Ávila, one of the organizers, said that although the situation in Cuba is different from that in Gaza, the group has conducted a risk assessment in case of any unexpected decision by the Trump administration and is prepared for any eventuality.
Trump has said he is prepared to take Cuba by any means necessary; and the Cuban government, while acknowledging talks with the United States, has defended its sovereignty.