In a landmark ruling, Colombia's Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of gay marriage in the conservative Roman Catholic country.
The decision, which marks a historic win for Colombia's LGBT community, was made possible by a 6-3 vote rendered on Thursday. The vote rejected one justice's opinion that would have effectively prohibited public notaries from registering same-sex marriage license. It is now ruled that same-sex couples have a right to be civilly wed.
In his concurring decision, magistrate Alberto Rojas stated, "All human beings ... have the fundamental right to be married with no discrimination."
According to The City Paper Bogota, the decision was a result of months of inquiry and debate, during which justices heard the testimony of over 40 professors, doctors, legal experts and government officials. The court sought to determine the legal status of four couples, three of which have been granted civil marriages by judges in Bogotá although same-sex marriages were still not yet allowed
Prior to Thursday's ruling, entering civil unions, otherwise known as "solemn contract," was legal for gay Colombians. However, they are required to show proof of the length of their relationship before they can be granted the legal benefits of a valid marriage union.
In Latin America, where Roman Catholic is the ruling religion, only a few countries allow people in the LGBT to marry. This includes Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.
Colombia's court first expressed its intent to expand the rights of same-sex couples when it ruled that gay couples can legally adopt children. CBS News reported that Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos largely supports gay couples' right to marry despite opposition from the Catholic church and the country's Inspector General.
"This decision tells all those conservatives that equality is unstoppable," gay rights activist Luis Felipe Rodriguez said, as quoted by The Guardian.
However, the battle is not over for Colombia's LGBT community and advocates. The ruling is already facing challenges and opposition. A recent survey conducted by Universidad de la Sabana showed that 70% of residents in Bogota opposed gay couples' right to adopt, while 57% did not approve of gay marriage.
