Following reports this weekend that conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe would consider allowing gays to affiliate their same-sex partners to the nation's social security system and, eventually, also allow same-sex partners to have access to pension rights should a partner die, former Bogota Mayor Antanas Mockus said yesterday that, if elected president, he would go a step further and allow marriages for same-sex couples and adoptions by gays.According to today's El Tiempo, in a statement Mockus stated: "To support gay unions is a form of defending individual liberties, for this reason, civil marriage should be available to gays."
Mockus, who was seen as a potentially powerful left-wing presdiential election challenger just a year ago, has fallen precipitously in the polls as of late and is dead last among viable candidates. Back on August 15th, 2005, Blabbeando had made reference to a stunning revelation by Mockus that seemed to inform - rightly or wrongly - his take on LGBT rights.
In regards to Uribe's recent statements, today's article goes on to say that Uribe-affiliated political leaders met last night to hash out a bill that would recognize gay rights as outlined by the president. Senator Alvaro Araujo would lead the bill, framed around Senate Project 130, which has been languishing in the Senate, and would codify changes to laws governing permanent unions to include social security and inheritance rights for same-sex couples.
UPDATE: Colombia poised to be 1st Latin American country to offer benefits to same-sex couples (March 29, 2006)
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