Costa Rica celebrates first same sex marriages as ban is lifted
● Couples tie the knot in midnight ceremonies as new law comes into force
Costa Rica has become the latest country to legalise samesex marriage after a ruling from its supreme court went into effect, ending the country’s ban.
Couples scheduled ceremonies – mostly private due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but some that would be broadcast – to celebrate their unions before judges and notaries after the ban was lifted at midnight yesterday.
A lesbian couple became the first to tie the knot in a ceremony that took place just after the new law came into effect.
The wedding was shown on national TV.
Costa Rica has become the sixth country in Latin America to legalise same-sex marriage, following most recently Ecuador, which allowed it last year. It is also permitted in some parts of Mexico.
The issue took centre stage in Costa Rica’s 2018 presidential election after the Interamerican Court of Human Rights earlier that year issued an opinion that countries like Costa Rica, which had signed the American Convention on Human Rights, had to move immediately to legalise gay marriage.
The decision helped propel President Carlos Alvarado to victory over an evangelical candidate, Fabricio Alvarado
Muñoz, who had campaigned against it.
Mr Alvarado said the law change meant Costa Rica now recognised the rights lesbian and gay people had always deserved. He tweeted that “empathy and love should from now on be the guiding principles which will allow us to move forward and build a country where there is room for everyone”.
In August 2018, Costa Rica’s supreme court said the country’s ban was unconstitutional and gave the congress 18 months to correct it or it would happen automatically.
The Legislative Assembly did not act, so at midnight the law banning same-sex marriage was nullified.
A campaign celebrating the achievement called “I do” planned a series of events, including hours of coverage on state television and messages from celebrities, including Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Gia Miranda, director of the “I do” campaign, said coverage would also include historical chapters of the movement in Costa Rica. “It gives us so much joy,” Ms Miranda said.
“The only thing that could win with this is Costa Rica and in general love.” She said it would help decrease discrimination and make the country more prosperous and attractive to tourists.