Recognition of same-sex unions in Venezuela

Venezuela recognizes neither same-sex marriages nor any form of registered partnership. Venezuela is one of the few South American nations not to have any form of legal recognition for same-sex couples, though the National Assembly is in the process of implanting a law that establishes civil unions for same-sex couples.

South America      Same-sex marriage      Other type of partnership      Unregistered cohabitation      Unrecognized or unknown      No recognition, issue under consideration      No recognition, only same-sex marriage officially banned      No recognition, all types of partnerships officially banned      Homosexuality illegal

Court challenges

2003 — A gay NGO called Union Afirmativa (Affirmative Union) submitted an Appeal to the Supreme Court in order to get legal recognition of economic rights (pensions, inheritance, social security, common household, etc)for same sex partners. The ruling, issued on February 28th, 2008, despite recognizing that "same sex partners enjoy all of the rights, civil, political and economic, social and cultural rights- have not such "special protection" which could be binding for the Venezuelan state, in the same terms than married couples have. Notwithstanding this, the National Assembly "can" (but is not bound to) legislate in order to protect such rights for homosexual partners.^[1]

Civil Unions

Civil unions are currently not recognized nationwide, though the state of Mérida recognizes same-sex civil unions.^[2][3][4]

On March 20, 2009, Chamber of Deputies member Romelia Matute announced that the National Assembly would legalize homosexual unions and recognize them as asociaciones de convivencia (association by cohabitation).^[5] However, later in the same month, Marelys Pérez—chairperson of the Family, Women and Youth Commission—announced that no such action would be taking place. However, Pérez added that the Commission would debate the same-sex partnership initiative, though exclude it from the current bill and likely wait for its inclusion into a future Civil Code reform or a future updated anti-discrimination measure.^[6]

The National Assembly currently debates a civil union bill. In addition to allowing for same-sex civil unions, the bill would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. President Hugo Chavez has voiced his support for the bill. The bill has passed its first hearing in the National Assembly of Venezuela, and if it passes its second, it will become law.^[7]

See also

• LGBT rights in Venezuela

References

1. ^ Gay Politics in Venezuela
2. ^ Venezuela: Situation and treatment of homosexuals; recourse available to those who have been harassed based on their sexual orientation (2004 - February 2006)
3. ^ Venezuela's sexual revolution
4. ^ Venezuela’s Sexual Revolution Within the Revolution
5. ^ Venezuela: Same-sex partnerships on fast track to being legally recognized, says legislator
6. ^ Same-Sex Unions Not On the Table After All?
7. ^ Venezuelan government moves to establish greater LGBT rights

v • d • e Recognition of same-sex unions in South America Sovereign states Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama1 · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago1 · Uruguay · Venezuela Dependencies Aruba1 / Netherlands Antilles1 (Netherlands) · Falkland Islands / South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) 2 / French Guiana (France) 1 Territories also in or commonly considered to be part of North America and/or Central America.  2 Territories also in or commonly considered to be part of Antarctica.

This article about lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-related law is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This Venezuela-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.