MEXICO: Gay Marriage Comes To Cancun

Legal same-sex marriages are about to commence in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, home to popular vacation destinations like Cancun.

Cancun and other resort areas on the Mexican Caribbean will have a new attraction for gay and lesbian couples from the United States, Canada and Europe, allowing them to legalize their unions thanks to a quirk in the local civil code, activist Patricia Novelo told Efe. “This market niche ... is very attractive for European, Canadian and American (homosexual) couples,” said the spokesperson for Colectivo Diversidad. Novelo said that in January the first same-sex group wedding will be held in the resort area as part of local support for the human rights of the gay community. She said that already several couples have expressed their wish to formalize their unions at the ceremony. She said gay and lesbian marriages are possible in Quintana Roo, “thanks to a legal gap in the Civil Code,” which only makes mention of “people interested in getting married,” without specifying their gender.

Gay marriage is already legal in Mexico City and unions performed there are recognized throughout the nation. Hotels, airlines, and tour companies are already working to launch same-sex marriage packages to Cancun, Cozumel, and other beach towns in Quintana Roo.