The Presidency of the Republic will convene the draft Equal Marriage Law in Congress, which is processed under file 19.852 in the Legislative Assembly. This was announced on Thursday morning by President Carlos Alvarado following the resolution of the Costitutional Chamber to declare the unconstitutional nature of paragraph 6 of Article 14 of the Family Code and that opens the right to marriage to same-sex couples.
Alvarado said that the Executive Power respects the decision of the Constitutional Chamber and that it expects all sectors of the country to comply with it.
Equality is one of our fundamental commitments, as well as our commitment with Costa Rican democratic institutions. In this framework of rule of law, the Executive Power respects the resolution of the Constitutional Chamber and we trust it within the framework of full respect for human rights. The decision of the Constitutional Chamber regarding equal marriage, whether approved by the Legislative Assembly in the next 18 months, or when it enters into force through the extinction of that period, will be respected,”
said the president.
On Wednesday, Fernando Castillo, president of Sala IV, stated that if the Congress does not make a decision, that article of the Family Code will lose validity, so Costa Rica will be able to celebrate the same-sex marriages.
In addition, the president also announced he will convene the plan against harassment of women. The president made the announcement in the framework of the signing of the directive to start the process of participatory construction of Public Policy for indigenous peoples.
The presidents of the Supreme Powers of the Republic will meet this Friday to discuss the recent resolution and discuss how they will address it from now on.
President Alvarado will receive Carolina Hidalgo, president of the Congress, Fernando Cruz, president of the Supreme Court of Justice, and Luis Antonio Sobrado, head of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. They should debate the 18 month period to adapt the legislation in this regard.