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Gay couple marries in Argentina | Gay couple marries in Argentina |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Two Argentine men have become the first same-sex couple to marry legally in Latin America. | |
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. | 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. |
Roman Catholic leaders in the country expressed alarm at the move. | |
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. |
Church anger | |
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. |
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 Ms Rios exploited this grey area and gave the two men a special dispensation. | |
She said in a statement that gay marriage was "an important advance in human rights and social inclusion". | |
After Monday's ceremony Mr di Bello said: "We're extremely excited and happy about what this means for all gays and lesbians in Argentina." | |
However Bishop Juan Carlos, of the southern Argentine city of Rio Gallegos, called the marriage "an attack against the survival of the human species". | |
Other Catholic leaders have argued that civil union, which is legal in four Argentine cities, should be sufficient. | |
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on gay marriage next year. | The Supreme Court is expected to rule on gay marriage next year. |