Colombian President Ãlvaro Uribe supports granting gay couples spousal rights in areas such as inheritance and health care.
During a meeting with college students March 25, Uribe was asked, ‘Will you and your political team support legislation to provide civil rights and Social Security [health care] to same-sex partners?’
He responded: ‘I will be completely sincere. First topic, marriage: No. Second topic, adoption: No. Inheritance rights: Yes. Social Security: Yes.’
Uribe added that he was prepared to grant same-sex couples access to Social Security benefits ‘immediately’ and to pension benefits ‘gradually.’ The latter will take time ‘due to the country’s fiscal problems,’ he said, according to a report in El Tiempo.
On March 29, the government responded to Uribe’s comments by throwing its support behind a bill already pending in the Senate. The measure grants gay couples access to spousal rights in the areas of inheritance, division of property, health care and pensions.
A recent Gallup Poll found that 77 percent of Colombians oppose recognition of same-sex unions.
— Rex Wockner