Costa Rica has legalised same-sex marriage at midnight tonight. Costa Rica is the first country in Central America, the eighth country in America and the 29th country in the world to allow same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n
At midnight, shortly after the law came into force, Dunia Araya and Alexandra Quiros became the first same-sex couple in Costa Rica to marry. The two young women, dressed in white, said “I do” in front of a registrar in the city of San Isidro de Heredia, 14 km northwest of the capital San Jos\u00e9, both of them wearing a mouth and nose cover . You can see the video here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Official ceremonies had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but a special program on LGBTIQ* rights was broadcast on public television and online after the court ruling took effect at midnight.<\/p>\n “This change will bring about a significant social and cultural transformation that will allow thousands of people to get married,” President Carlos Alvarado said on the program accompanying the celebrations.<\/p>\n The introduction of same-sex marriage is the result of a Supreme Court ruling. In August 2018, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court ruled that a ban on homosexual marriage was unconstitutional and gave Parliament 18 months to change the laws. Since this was not done, the provision was automatically repealed.<\/p>\n A partir de ma\u00f1ana, Costa Rica reconocer\u00e1 el matrimonio igualitario. En unas horas, las parejas del mismo sexo, y sus familias, tendr\u00e1n los mismos derechos que cualquier otra pareja o familia de este pa\u00eds. En uni\u00f3n, bajo una misma bandera, construyamos una mejor naci\u00f3n. pic.twitter.com\/iZAlApnKWh<\/a><\/p>\n — Carlos Alvarado Quesada (@CarlosAlvQ) May 26, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n