Bolivia recognizes for the first time a civil union between people of the same sex

David Victor Aruquipa Perez and Guido Alvaro Montano Duran pose after a press conference in La Paz, December 11, 2020. REUTERS - DAVID MERCADO

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Bolivia recognized Friday, December 11, for the first time in its history, a civil union between two people of the same sex, after a long legal battle waged by a couple of men of 45 and 48 years.

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The Civil Status Service of Bolivia (Sereci) registered "

 the free union between David Victor Aruquipa Perez and Guido Alvaro Montaño Duran

 " canceling its previous provision made in 2018, said the Ombudsman, Nadia Cruz.

This precedent reinforces the principle of equality before the law and will allow this couple and other same-sex couples to exercise their rights without discrimination 

", we can read in the press release.

Judicial battle

This is the first recognition of its kind for a same-sex couple, the result of a long legal battle started by the two men two years ago.

The Sereci then refused the couple's request to register their de facto union for eleven years, arguing that Bolivian law did not contemplate unions of couples of the same sex.

The two turned to the Constitutional Court, which recalled the 2017 Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Cidh) ruling that "

 states have an obligation to recognize same-sex family ties. and protect them

 ”.

"

 We believe that this is a first step and we hope that it will advance our rights,"

comments Frank Arteaga of the Bolivian coalition of LGBT collectives.

 We had a dialogue, several dialogues, with representatives of all political parties before the last elections in Bolivia and the current ruling party, and also other parties.

They have shown themselves to be open on this subject.

They spoke frankly and told us that it was necessary to guarantee this right to all same-sex couples.

We hope that they will continue to maintain this position during the five years of this new legislature, and not only the government party but also part of the opposition.

 "

The LGTBI organizations of the Andean country were delighted that this constitutional decision "

 places Bolivia on the path of greater respect for the rights of diversity, of a brake on discrimination and of equality between all the inhabitants of the country. 

".

► Read also: Bolivia: the march of sexual diversity, witness of a progressive country

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