This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/8433240.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Gay couple marries in Argentina | Gay couple marries in Argentina |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two Argentine men have become the first gay couple in Latin America to marry. | Two Argentine men have become the first gay couple in Latin America to marry. |
| Alejandro Freyre, 39, and Jose Maria Di Bello, 41, tied the knot in a civil ceremony in the southern city of Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego province. | |
| Gay marriage is illegal in Argentina. However, the Tierra del Fuego governor issued a special decree allowing the couple to wed there. | Gay marriage is illegal in Argentina. However, the Tierra del Fuego governor issued a special decree allowing the couple to wed there. |
| A judge in the capital, Buenos Aires, prevented the couple from marrying there earlier this month. | A judge in the capital, Buenos Aires, prevented the couple from marrying there earlier this month. |
| The men, who are both HIV-positive, had planned to get married on 1 December, world Aids day. | The men, who are both HIV-positive, had planned to get married on 1 December, world Aids day. |
| They eventually travelled to Tierra del Fuego, where they received the support of provincial governor Fabiana Rios. | They eventually travelled to Tierra del Fuego, where they received the support of provincial governor Fabiana Rios. |
| Grey area | |
| Although Argentina's civil code bans gay marriage, the constitution is silent on the matter. | Although Argentina's civil code bans gay marriage, the constitution is silent on the matter. |
| Correspondents say the governor exploited this grey area and gave the two men a special dispensation. | Correspondents say the governor exploited this grey area and gave the two men a special dispensation. |
| "We're extremely excited and happy about what this means for all gays and lesbians in Argentina," Mr Di Bello said. | "We're extremely excited and happy about what this means for all gays and lesbians in Argentina," Mr Di Bello said. |
| An association of Catholic lawyers has questioned the legality of the marriage. | |
| Catholic leaders have argued civil union, which is legal in four Argentine cities, should be sufficient. | |
| The Supreme Court is expected to rule on gay marriage next year. |