Colombia: El Tiempo forecasts passage of "gay law"

Back in October, in a legislative first, the Colombian Senate voted in favor of the recognition of some limited rights for same-sex couples despite heavily organized opposition from the country's Catholic church and right-wing political leaders (other similar bills had been introduced in the past but it was the first time in the country that a nation-wide legislative vote had been taken on a pro-gay rights measure and thankfully it was in its favor).

Personally, that's as far as I thought that the bill would get. Still, over the weekend, El Tiempo, the leading Colombian editorial newspaper, predicted that the bill would not only survive tomorrow's House of Representatives vote but also pass the next hurdle when it's sent for final review by a special commission of the House. That would send it to President Alvaro Uribe's desk for a signature (he already promised that he would sign it if it landed on his desk during his re-election campaign earlier this year).

El Tiempo says that the imminent passage of the bill has taken some behind-the-scenes Uribe-led arm twisting to secure conservative votes on behalf of the bill. Some gay-rights advocates are horrified that a conservative president such as Uribe might become the first to sign a gay-rights bill into law.

But tonight Colombia seems nearer to approving a landmark bill on behalf of same-sex couples.