中米メキシコの首都メキシコ市議会は、異性カップルと同等の権利を同性カップルにも保証するシビル・ユニオン法案を可決した。メキシコは世界第二位のカトリック教国である。
同性カップルの権利認める法案、可決 メキシコ市 [CNN]
賛成票は４３、反対票は１７だった。カトリックが多数を占めるラテンアメリカ諸国では、同性愛に対する偏見が強いが、都市部では許容度が高まっている。これまでに同性カップルの権利を認めているのは、アルゼンチンの首都ブエノスアイレスやブラジル南部のリオグランデドスルなど。
メキシコ市議会が可決した法案は、同性カップルの結婚は認めていないが、カップルとして当局への登録することができ、遺産相続や、異性カップルの夫婦と同等の権利を持つことができる。同法案下では、結婚していない異性カップルの権利も認められる。
Gay unions legalized for first time in Mexico [Reuters]
Mexico City approved homosexual civil unions on Thursday, legalizing gay partnerships for the first time in the world's second-largest Roman Catholic nation.
The capital's municipal assembly, controlled by left-wing legislators, voted for the measure 43-17 as hundreds of rival protesters demonstrated noisily outside the building.
The move paves the way for same-sex civil unions in the city of 8.6 million people early next year.
The local congress in the northern state of Coahuila, bordering Texas, began debating a similar plan this week to legalize gay unions.
"These reforms are going to cause a snowball effect that no one will be able to stop," said David Sanchez of the left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution, one of the few openly gay national congressmen.
The initiatives in Mexico City and Coahuila are modeled on France's civil code and call for property, pension, inheritance and even co-parenting rights. But they stop short of allowing full marriage or adoption of children.
In 2002, the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires legalized same-sex unions, a move hailed as a first in Latin America.
Outside the assembly hall, gay activists with rainbow-color flags and Christian opponents of the law exchanged barbs.
↓のYouTube の映像はメキシコシティのゲイ・プライド2006（MEXICO CITY - GAY PRIDE 2006）の模様。さすがラテンの国、ゴージャスでホットで喧しい。
Mexico City legislature approves law recognizing gay civil unions [International Herald Tribune]
Tito Vasconcelos, one of Mexico City's leading homosexual activists disagreed.
Vasconcelos said the law represents "Mexico's entrance into the first world of democracy, along with other countries that recognize this type of union."
If the law is enacted, Mexico will join the ranks of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, and the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, which have approved civil unions. At the national level, federal lawmakers in Costa Rica and Colombia have debated similar measures.
In other parts of the world, a parliamentary committee approved proposals for same-sex marriages in South Africa on Thursday, clearing the way for the passage of legislation that would be unique on a deeply conservative continent.
Five years ago, Portugal extended some legal benefits — such as joint tax returns — to people who live together, including homosexuals. The concessions fell far short of the entitlements gained by marriage, however.
In Europe, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain have legalized gay marriage. Canada and the U.S. state of Massachusetts also allow gay marriage.
