Same-sex marriage has been legal in Veracruz since 13 June 2022. On 30 May 2022, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that the state's same-sex marriage ban violated Articles 1 and 4 of the Constitution of Mexico. The Congress of Veracruz passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage three days later on 2 June 2022. It was published in the official state journal on 13 June and went into effect the same day.

Veracruz has also recognised gender-neutral concubinage, granting same-sex cohabitating couples all of the rights and obligations of marriage, including adoption, since 11 June 2020.

Background

The Mexican Supreme Court ruled on 12 June 2015 that state bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional nationwide. The court's ruling is considered a "jurisprudential thesis" and did not invalidate state laws, meaning that same-sex couples denied the right to marry would still have to seek amparos in court. The ruling standardized the procedures for judges and courts throughout Mexico to approve all applications for same-sex marriages and made the approval mandatory. Specifically, the court ruled that bans on same-sex marriage violate Articles 1 and 4 of the Constitution of Mexico. Article 1 of the Constitution states that "any form of discrimination, based on ethnic or national origin, gender, age, disabilities, social status, medical conditions, religion, opinions, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other form, which violates the human dignity or seeks to annul or diminish the rights and freedoms of the people, is prohibited.", and Article 4 relates to matrimonial equality, stating that "man and woman are equal under the law. The law shall protect the organization and development of the family."[lower-alpha 1] The Constitution of Veracruz does not expressly prohibit same-sex marriages. Article 6 of the Constitution states that "the State will promote the necessary conditions for the full enjoyment of liberty, equality, security and non-discrimination of the people".[1][2][3][4]

In February 2014, Javier Darío Olivares García and Víctor Manuel Durán Sáenz applied for a marriage license at the civil registry office in Heroica Veracruz. The couple were turned down, and subsequently filed an amparo in court, which was granted by a federal judge on 22 July 2014.[5][6] Despite the approval, the registrar refused to schedule a ceremony for the couple. After presenting their amparo to the registrar in Boca del Río, the marriage was scheduled for 6 December 2014. Their wedding was the first same-sex marriage in the state of Veracruz.[7] On 29 January 2015, a local LGBT group, Comunidad Jarochos, announced that a lesbian couple had won an amparo and would marry on 4 April 2015.[8] The group also announced that there were 8 pending amparos in the state.[9] Four additional couples filed amparos in court on 16 May 2016.[10] On 26 May 2016, three couples (two lesbian couples and one male couple) were granted the right to marry.[11]

A lawsuit challenging article 75 of the Civil Code, which defined marriage as the "union of a man and a woman", was filed on 20 July 2017 with the Fourth District Court.[12][13] On 7 November 2017, Judge José Arquímedes Gregorio Loranca Luna declared the state's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional.[14] Guillermo Izacur Maldonado, president of Comunidad Jarochos, argued that the ruling was a "general injunction" that covers every same-sex couple in the state and that same-sex marriage should thus effectively be legal in the state as a result of this court decision.[15] However, state officials announced they would continue to enforce the state's same-sex marriage ban despite the court ruling.[16]

18 same-sex marriages had been performed in Veracruz by August 2017.[17] By early 2019, this had increased to 69 marriages,[18] and to 150 marriages by July 2020.[19] All these couples married using the recurso de amparo remedy.

Legislative action

Civil union legislation was first proposed in Veracruz in 2014. In March 2014, Deputy Cuauhtémoc Pola Estrada from the Citizens' Movement party introduced a partnership bill to the Congress of Veracruz.[20] The bill was opposed by the governing parties and saw little legislation action. In July 2014, Pola Estrada introduced a proposal to amend article 75 of the Civil Code to legalize same-sex marriage.[21] In September 2014, he confirmed that the bill was still awaiting reviews by legislative committees.[22] In April 2015, citing disappointment with the legislative inaction, the president of the State Human Rights Commission announced his intention to propose a new same-sex marriage bill.[23] In July 2016, Deputy Mónica Robles Barajas from the Ecologist Green Party submitted another measure to legalize same-sex marriage.[24] These bills saw very little legislative progress due to opposition from the governing National Action Party (PAN).[25]

In July 2018, as one of its last actions before leaving office, PAN submitted a proposal to Congress to explicitly ban same-sex marriage in the State Constitution. It failed to pass, with 32 deputies in favor, 10 against and 2 absentions. As 33 votes were needed to amend the Constitution, the measure failed by one vote.[26] The July 2018 elections resulted in the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) winning the majority of legislative seats in Congress and the governorship. MORENA expressed support for same-sex marriage in its party platform.

Cohabitation law (2020)

On 28 May 2020, the Congress of Veracruz passed a cohabitation bill by a vote of 35–12. The law grants cohabitating couples, different-sex or same-sex, the same rights, benefits and obligations as married couples.[27][28] The law was published in the official state journal on 10 June,[29] following the signature of Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez, and went into effect the following day. The legislation defines cohabitation as follows:

  • in Spanish: El concubinato es la unión de hecho entre dos personas, sin que exista un contrato entre ellos, ambos se encuentren libres de matrimonio y que deciden compartir la vida para apoyarse mutuamente.
  • (Concubinage is the facto union between two people, without there being a contract between them, both being free from marriage and deciding to share their lives together in order to support each other.)
Political party Members Yes No Abstain Absent
National Regeneration Movement 31 26 1 1 1
National Action Party 13 2 11
Institutional Revolutionary Party 3 3
Citizens' Movement 2 2
Party of the Democratic Revolution 1 1
Ecologist Green Party of Mexico 1 1
Social Encounter Party 1 1
Total 50 35 12 2 1

Same-sex marriage law (2022)

Three days after the Mexican Supreme Court struck down the state's same-sex marriage ban in an action of unconstitutionality on 30 May 2022, the Congress of Veracruz passed legislation amending state law to define marriage as the union of "two people". The bill had been introduced two months prior on 5 April by deputies Gonzalo Durán Chincoya and Ramón Diaz Ávila. The law was passed by 36 votes to 4.[30][31] It was published in the official state journal on 13 June, following Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez's signature, and took effect that same day.[32] The first same-sex couple to marry in Veracruz under the new law were Wendy Arlette Segovia Aguilar and Lucía Marisol González Cruz in San Andrés Tuxtla on 15 June 2022.[33]

Article 75 of the Civil Code of Veracruz was amended to read:

  • in Spanish: El matrimonio es la unión de dos personas a través de un contrato civil que, en ejercicio de su voluntad, deciden compartir un proyecto de vida conjunto, a partir de una relación afectiva con ánimo de permanencia, cooperación y apoyo mutuo y sin impedimento legal alguno.
  • (Marriage is the union of two people who, through a civil contract, freely decide to share a community of life based on an affective relationship in a spirit of permanence, cooperation and mutual support and without any legal impediment.)
Political party Members Yes No Abstain Absent
National Regeneration Movement 31 23 8
National Action Party 9 5 4
Institutional Revolutionary Party 3 2 1
Citizens' Movement 2 2
Labor Party 2 2
Ecologist Green Party of Mexico 2 2
Force for Mexico 1 1
Total 50 36 4 0 10

Action of unconstitutionality (2020–2022)

On 28 May 2020, the Congress of Veracruz amended state family law to recognize same-sex cohabitation but at the same time it did not repeal the state's same-sex marriage ban. Shortly following the law's publication in the official state journal on 10 June, the National Human Rights Commission filed an action of unconstitutionality (acción de inconstitucionalidad; docketed 144/2020) against the state of Veracruz, contesting the constitutionality of the new cohabitation law and various articles of the Civil Code that banned same-sex marriage.[34] This lawsuit sought to fully legalize same-sex marriage in the state, similarly to what happened in numerous other states, including Jalisco (2016), Chiapas (2017), Puebla (2017), Aguascalientes (2019), and Nuevo León (2019).

On 30 May 2022, the Supreme Court ruled 10–0 that article 75 of the Civil Code, which banned same-sex marriage, was void and unconstitutional.[35] The decision would officially take effect upon publication in the Official Journal of the Federation (Diario Oficial de la Federación), but state civil registry officials had the possibility to implement the decision immediately.[36] Congress passed a same-sex marriage bill just three days later, legalizing same-sex marriage in Veracruz. The court ruling was published in the Official Journal on 20 October 2022.[37]

Public opinion

According to a 2018 survey by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, 54% of the Veracruz public opposed same-sex marriage, the fourth highest in Mexico.[38]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ In Spanish: El varón y la mujer son iguales ante la ley. Esta protegerá la organización y el desarrollo de la familia.
    In Nahuatl: Se tlakatl uan se siuatl nochi sansemej ipan tlanauatilistli. Inin kin manauis nejchikolis uan iueixka iuikaluan.
    In Totonac: Amá puskat chu chixku, ixlakxtumkan nak ixlakatin limapakgsin. Ja'é namakgtakgalha ixtalakaxlan xawa ixlitatlanit litalakgapasni.
    In Huastec: An inik ani an uxum jayetsk’ij in jalbil ba’ an bolid kaw. Ax neets kin k’aniy in yanel jant’in ti neets ti puwel in yanel.
    In Tepehua: Yu jo'okna̱ ali yu xanatin bachubachun katajunita̱ lakapalachimo'on. Yu palachimo'on kalhistakya' uxamaktaun katataulalhi̱ tachun lapanaka̱.

References

  1. ↑ "Constitución Política del Estado de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave" (PDF). www.uv.mx (in Spanish). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  2. ↑ "Weyi Tlanawatilli Tlen Powi Tlalnankotonalli Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave" (PDF). www.aveli.gob.mx (in Nāhuatl). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Limapakgsin Ixlilakkaxlan Xla Pulataman Veracruz Xla Ignacio De La Llave" (PDF). www.aveli.gob.mx. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Xa'ai Palahachimó'on Ta'an Laklhichimo'okán Pulakchibinin De Ignacio De La Llave" (PDF). www.aveli.gob.mx. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "Ordenan al Registro Civil de Veracruz reconocer bodas gay". e-consulta. 31 July 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  6. ↑ "Aprobada la primera boda gay en el Estado de Veracruz". www.xeu.com.mx. Archived from the original on 2018-09-09. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  7. ↑ "¡Lo lograron! Celebra Veracruz primer matrimonio gay". e-veracruz.mx. 7 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  8. ↑ "Se efectuará segundo patrimonio gay con amparo en Veracruz". Plumas libres. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  9. ↑ "Gana pareja del mismo sexo juicio en Veracruz y se casará en abril". veracruzanos.info. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Tramitan amparos cuatro parejas del mismo sexo para celebrar matrimonio". e-veracruz.mx. 16 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  11. ↑ "Ganan amparos 3 parejas lésbico-gay de Veracruz-Boca; podrán casarse". Noticias de Veracruz. 26 May 2016. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  12. ↑ "Activistas LGBT llevarán a la SCJN abrogación de la Carta Matrimonial de Veracruz - Portal Noticias Veracruz". www.xeu.mx. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  13. ↑ "Comunidad LGBTI interpone amparo ante negativa de instituir matrimonio igualitario". Presencia.MX. 16 August 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  14. ↑ "Aprueban amparo para matrimons y adopciones gay en Veracruz". Archived from the original on 2019-03-10. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  15. ↑ "Aprueban amparo para matrimonios y adopciones gay en Veracruz". Imagen del Golfo (in Spanish). 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  16. ↑ Rica, La Opinión de Poza (9 November 2017). "Desconoce Registro Civil sobre amparo que permitiría matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo". Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  17. ↑ "Confirman primer matrimonio igualitario en el sur de Veracruz". Presencia.MX. 8 April 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  18. ↑ "Se han casado 69 parejas del mismo sexo en Veracruz". El Sol de Córdoba (in Spanish). 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Matrimonios del mismo sexo en Veracruz, ya suman 150". El Dictamen (in Spanish). 14 July 2020. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "Ley de Sociedad de Convivencia no contempla el matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo". veracruzanos.info. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "Veraz News: Aprobada la primera boda gay en el Estado de Veracruz". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  22. ↑ "Google Translate". google.com. Archived from the original on 2001-10-20. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  23. ↑ "Comunidad Lésbico-Gay exige al Congreso de Veracruz aprobar ley de equidad e igualdad". Al Calor Político. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  24. ↑ "Propone Mónica Robles Código Civil Para Garantizar Matrimonio Igualitario" (in Spanish). AVIVeracruz. 28 July 2016. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  25. ↑ "PAN frena discusión de bodas gay y aborto legal en Congreso de Veracruz". Al Calor Político. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  26. ↑ U!M, Staff (12 July 2018). "¡Aplausos! Fracasa iniciativa de homófobos en Veracruz contra Matrimonio Igualitario". Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  27. ↑ "Congreso Local 'avala' matrimonio igualitario". Palabras claras (in Spanish). 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  28. ↑ "Legalizan concubinato sin distinción de sexo en Veracruz". El Universal (in Spanish). 29 May 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  29. ↑ "Entran en vigor reformas al Código Civil; Congreso debe adecuar leyes". alcalorpolitico.com (in Spanish). 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  30. ↑ "ACTUALIDAD Congreso de Veracruz aprueba matrimonio igualitario". Forbes (in Spanish). 2 June 2022. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  31. ↑ "Aprueba Congreso reformas que permiten en Veracruz el matrimonio igualitario". Congress of Veracruz (in Spanish). 2 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  32. ↑ "Matrimonio igualitario se abre paso en norte de Veracruz". Milenio (in Spanish). 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  33. ↑ "Tras reforma, se celebra primer matrimonio igualitario en Veracruz". veracruz.lasillarota.com (in Spanish). 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  34. ↑ "CNDH lleva a SCJN tema de matrimonio igualitario en Veracruz". E-Veracruz (in Spanish). 8 August 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  35. ↑ "Abre SCJN la puerta al matrimonio igualitario y al derecho al aborto en Veracruz" [The SCJN opens the door for same-sex marriage and the right to abortion in Veracruz]. Sintesis (in Spanish). 30 May 2022. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  36. ↑ "Corte invalida artículos que discriminaban a parejas del mismo sexo en Veracruz". Milenio (in Spanish). 30 May 2022. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  37. ↑ "Acción de inconstituxionalidad 144/2020 y su acumulada 185/2020". Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (in Spanish). 20 October 2022.
  38. ↑ (in Spanish) #Data | ¿Quién está en contra del matrimonio gay? Archived 2019-04-16 at the Wayback Machine
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