Paraguay does not recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions.

Unregistered cohabitation

In August 2011, Itaipu Binacional, the company operating the Itaipu Dam, decided to recognize the same-sex partners of employees for the purpose of private health insurance benefits, if the couples were together for at least six months. An official working for the company said that the measure was for the sole purpose of including same-sex partners as beneficiaries of private health insurance for employees.[1]

Civil unions

Paraguay does not recognize civil unions. The Constitution of Paraguay recognizes de facto unions with similar legal rights to marriage, but only for opposite-sex couples. Article 51(2) of the Constitution states:[2][lower-alpha 1]

A de facto union between a man and a woman, having no legal impediments to getting married and being characterized by stability and monogamy, produces a similar effect to that of a legal marriage, in accordance with the provisions established by law.

Same-sex marriage

Recognition of same-sex unions in South America
  Marriage
  Other type of partnership
  Country subject to IACHR ruling
  Unrecognized
  Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples
  Same-sex sexual activity illegal, though penalties not enforced

Background

In July 2010, following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Argentina, the LGBT organization SOMOSGAY announced its intention to advocate for a same-sex marriage bill in the Congress of Paraguay. Article 140 of the Paraguayan Civil Code expressly prohibits marriage between persons of the same sex.[3]

On 23 March 2012, LGBT activists Simón Cazal and Sergio López married in Argentina.[4] The following year, they attempted to register their marriage in Paraguay. Their request was rejected, and they filed a legal challenge to have the marriage recognized. However, the lawsuit was dismissed on 4 April 2013, with the judge ruling that the Paraguayan Constitution did not recognize same-sex marriages.[5]

In May 2017, presidential candidate Santiago Peña of the ruling Colorado Party announced his support for same-sex marriage.[6][7] He was criticised by many deputies, as well as President Horacio Cartes.[8] In 2013, Cartes was quoted as saying that he would "shoot a bullet into his testicles were his son to express interest in marrying another man."[9][10] While running for president in the April 2023 election, Peña expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage,[11] as did his main opponent, Efraín Alegre.[12]

In March 2019, with 24 votes in favor, the Senate of Paraguay approved a draft declaration stating that it was "pro-life and pro-family", expressing opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. The move was criticised by many lawmakers, who argued that the state is secular and cannot impose moral principles or values linked to religion.[13]

Constitutional wording

Since 1992, the Constitution of Paraguay has limited marriage and the family to "one man and one woman".[2] Article 51(1), entitled "Legal Marriages and the Effects of De Facto Unions", states:[lower-alpha 2]

The law will establish the formalities to be observed for the marriage between a man and a woman, the requirements for contracting it, and the causes for separation or dissolution and its effects, as well as property management provisions and other rights and obligations between spouses.

Article 52, entitled "Union in Marriage", states:[lower-alpha 3]

The union in marriage by a man and woman is one of the fundamental factors in the formation of a family.

2018 Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling

On 9 January 2018, in advisory opinion OC 24/7, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) ruled that countries signatory to the American Convention on Human Rights are required to allow same-sex couples to marry.[14][15] The ruling states that:[16][17]

The State must recognize and guarantee all rights derived from a family bond between persons of the same sex in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11.2 and 17.1 of the American Convention. (...) in accordance with articles 1.1, 2, 11.2, 17, and 24 of the American Convention, it is necessary to guarantee access to all the existing figures in domestic legal systems, including the right to marry. (..) To ensure the protection of all the rights of families formed by same-sex couples, without discrimination with respect to those that are constituted by heterosexual couples.

Paraguay ratified the Convention on 24 August 1989 and recognized the court's jurisdiction on 11 March 1993.[18]

On 12 January 2018, SOMOSGAY announced its intention to file a petition with the Supreme Court of Justice to legalize same-sex marriage in Paraguay,[19] citing the IACHR ruling.[20][21] Meanwhile government officials reacted negatively to the ruling. In March 2018, Mario Abdo Benítez said he would veto any same-sex marriage bill passed by Congress if elected president in the April 2018 election, which he subsequently won.[22] Some opponents of the IACHR ruling also falsely claimed that it does not apply to Paraguay.[23][24]

Public opinion

According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between 26 November 2013 and 8 January 2014, 15% of Paraguayans supported same-sex marriage, while 81% were opposed.[25][26]

The 2017 AmericasBarometer found that 26% of Paraguayans supported same-sex marriage.[27]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ In Spanish: Las uniones de hecho entre el hombre y la mujer, sin impedimentos legales para contraer matrimonio, que reúnan las condiciones de estabilidad y singularidad, producen efectos similares al matrimonio, dentro de las condiciones que establezca la ley.
    In Guarani: Umi ojoajureíva, ikatúma guive omenda ojuehe, ha oikóma guive hikuái omendaitévaicha, oheja hapykuere ku omendaitérõ guáicha, ndohóima guive léi contra-pe.
  2. ↑ In Spanish: La ley establecerá las formalidades para la celebración del matrimonio entre el hombre y la mujer, los requisitos para contraerlo, las causas de separación, de disolución y sus efectos, así como el régimen de administración de bienes y otros derechos y obligaciones entre cónyuges.
    In Guarani: Léipe oĩva'erã mba'éichapa ojejapóta omenda hag̃ua kuimba'e kuña ndive, mba'épa oñekotevẽta upevarã, mba'éichapa ikatu ojueja jey hikuái, ha oparei jeýrõpa mba'e hapykuere; oĩva'erã avei léipe mba'éichapa ojeporúta mba'e oguerekóva hikuái; he'íva'erã avei mba'e mba'épa hembiaporã katu ha hembiaporã tee mokõivéva.
  3. ↑ In Spanish: La unión en matrimonio del hombre y la mujer es uno de los componentes fundamentales en la formación de la familia.
    In Guarani: Kuimba'e ha kuña joaju, menda rupigua, ha'e ñemoñanga yta tee peteĩva ha tenondetegua.

References

  1. ↑ "Parejas de homosexuales son beneficiadas por seguro médico en Itaipú". ABC Color. 12 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Paraguay: Constitución de 1992". pdba.georgetown.edu (in Spanish).
  3. ↑ "ARTICULO 140 del Código Civil de Paraguay". www.notarfor.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "A 10 años del primer matrimonio igualitario de turistas, Simón y Sergio van por su reconocimiento". El Ciudadano. 2022-03-21. Archived from the original on 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  5. ↑ "Paraguay no autoriza registro de matrimonio gay". El Siglo de Torreón. 2013-04-04. Archived from the original on 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  6. ↑ "Peña se retracta sobre el matrimonio igualitario". ultimahora.com.
  7. ↑ ""El matrimonio igualitario es inmoral" - Nacionales - ABC Color". www.abc.com.py.
  8. ↑ Blair, Laurence (30 March 2017). "Paraguay fears dictatorship as president moves to amend constitution". The Guardian.
  9. ↑ "Me pego un tiro en las bolas". Hoy (in Spanish).
  10. ↑ "Horacio Cartes: Millionaire. Criminal. Business titan". The Independent. 19 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Paraguay: Mujeres y LGBT, otra vez postergados en elecciones". Infobae (in Spanish). 29 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Efraín, en contra el matrimonio igualitario y aborto". El Nacional (in Spanish). 21 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "Cámara de Senadores se declara provida y profamilia". Radio Marandú (in Spanish). 22 March 2019. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019.
  14. ↑ Pretel, Enrique Andres (January 10, 2018). "Latin American human rights court urges same-sex marriage legalization". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  15. ↑ Chinchilla, Sofía; Cambronero, Natasha (January 9, 2018). "Corte Interamericana ordena abrir la puerta al matrimonio gay en Costa Rica" (in Spanish). La Nación. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Opinión Consultiva OC-24/17 de 24 de Noviembre de 2017 Solicitada por la República de Costa Rica" (PDF) (in Spanish). Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  17. ↑ Contesse, Jorge (July 26, 2018). "The Inter-American Court of Human Rights' Advisory Opinion on Gender Identity and Same-Sex Marriage". American Society of International Law. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Annual Report of the IACHR 2001 - Annex III". cidh.org (in Spanish).
  19. ↑ "LGTBI anuncia presión a Corte para aceptar unión igualitaria y habrá 'guerra'". Hoy. 12 January 2018. Archived from the original on 14 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  20. ↑ "Inter-American Court endorses same-sex marriage; Costa Rica reacts". Tico Times. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  21. ↑ Andres Pretel, Enrique. "Latin American human rights court urges same-sex marriage legalization". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  22. ↑ "Marito avisa: defenderá la familia y vetará cualquier proyecto "progay"". Hoy (in Spanish).
  23. ↑ "Matrimonio igualitario: Sugieren adecuar leyes". ultimahora.com.
  24. ↑ "Opinión de Corte IDH sobre matrimonio igualitario no afecta a Paraguay". www.ultimahora.com.
  25. ↑ "Social Attitudes on Moral Issues in Latin America - Pew Research Center". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  26. ↑ "Appendix A: Methodology". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  27. ↑ "CULTURA POLÍTICA DE LA DEMOCRACIA EN LA REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA Y EN LAS AMÉRICAS, 2016/17" (PDF).
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