(25 April 2013—New York) On April 24, a proposed marriage equality bill was defeated in a vote of 17 in favor and 51 against in the Colombian Senate. However, according to a 2011 Constitutional Court ruling, same-sex couples will be able to be legally married by a notary as of June 20th, 2013.

Wednesday marked the eighth unsuccessful Senate vote on recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) partnership rights. Previous bills proposed same-sex civil unions, however this was the first iteration that explicitly used the language of marriage equality.

On this occasion, the consideration of the bill was the result of an order from the Constitutional Court, which recognized that same-sex partners constitute a family for the first time in 2011 under ruling C-577. In the ruling, the Court also ordered the Colombian Congress to make a decision on marriage equality by no later than June 2013. In the event that Congress did not approve legislation affirming full marital equality, as happened on Wednesday, the Court determined that same-sex couples would have the right to be married by a notary and to receive all of the rights guaranteed to heterosexual married couples.

The Court’s decision in 2011 inspired some to be hopeful, but today LGBT Colombians are disappointed that Congress failed to extend full equality to all.

“We’re going to go to the notaries and judges on the 20th of June as the Court ordered. I believe the Court knew nothing would happen in Congress. If the notaries interpret that [the ruling] doesn’t say marriage, we’re going to file cases and again, it will be the Constitutional Court that will decide if [the ruling] speaks of marriage or not,” said Marcela Sanchez, director of Colombia Diversa, one of the most visible NGOs that works in favor of LGBTI rights, to EL PAIS.

Media Contact:
Roberta Sklar, 917-704-6358 or rsklar@iglhrc.org