COSTA RICA: Spanish-Language Father's Day Cookie Ad Features Gay Couple

Via the Tico Times:

A recent ruling by a judge in Goicoechea to recognize the first same-sex common-law marriage in Costa Rica’s history was just in time for a Father’s Day commercial that prominently shows a gay couple. The commercial, “Families in all their forms,” focuses on a father and his son opening a bag of Pozuelo-brand “Familia” cookies. As the dad explains that there are different kinds of families, the commercial follows an older couple without children – a gay couple – and a stay-at-home dad. The commercial concludes with the words, “When there’s love, there’s family.” Ana Isabel Sanz, regional marketing director for Pozuelo, told the daily La Nación that the company was not looking to challenge the traditional idea of the family. Instead, Sanz said that the company wanted their publicity to reflect the new kinds of families in Costa Rica, 60 percent of which don’t fit the old father-mother-kid mold.

An update to the above-linked story notes that the commercial's airing in San Jose this afternoon has spawned some boycott calls on social media.

(Tipped by JMG reader Will)

COSTA RICA: Judge Grants First Common Law Gay Marriage In Central America

Via the Tico Times:

A Costa Rican judge has granted the first openly gay common-law marriage in Central America, said Francisco Madrigal, political affairs director for the Center for Research and Promotion of Human Rights in Central America (CIPAC). On Tuesday morning, news broke that Gerald Castro and Cristian Zamora, a gay couple in the city of Goicoechea, north of San José, were granted a common-law marriage by the Family Court there. Along with being the first legal recognition of a same-sex relationship in Central America, the decision could set an example for judges elsewhere in the country to recognize gay relationships and even adoption. But both supporters and opponents of the decision expect a forthcoming legal battle over the landmark ruling.

A civil unions bill is pending in the Costa Rica legislature. (Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

COSTA RICA: Survey Shows Some Cops Approve Of Abusing LGBT People

Costa Rica is generally regarded as relatively LGBT friendly, so this is disturbing. Via Inside Costa Rica:

In the survey, in which nearly 500 police, traffic, and immigration officers responded, 17.7% said they felt it was acceptable to demand bribes from gay people while 20.4% found it acceptable to detain gay people without probable cause. A further 15.7% said they felt it was acceptable to physically harm gay people without cause and 13.5% felt the sexual abuse of a gay person was acceptable. Further, many officers said it is better to ignore complaints of domestic violence in same-sex couples rather than respond. More than 60% of officers said they believe that homosexuality is a disease or illness. Deputy Minister of the Interior, Carmen Muñoz, called the situation a major challenge.

Costa Ricans are broadly protected by anti-discrimination laws, but same-sex marriage and adoption remains banned.

COSTA RICA: Newly Elected President Flies Rainbow Flag Over Casa Presidencial

Via the Tico Times:

Just over a week since taking office, President Luis Guillermo Solís made history Friday morning when he became the first Costa Rican leader to raise the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement on even mast with the Costa Rican red-white-and-blue tricolor on the lawn of the Casa Presidencial. Vice President Ana Helena Chacón hoisted the flag in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, May 17. “This is the house of all Costa Ricans. When we say all Costa Ricans we mean all, without exclusion, without violence, without harassment in absolute respect for the rights of each one,” Solís told a crowd of LGBT leaders and advocates during his brief comments on the lawn.

LGBT Costa Ricans enjoy protections in employment, public accommodations, and other areas, but same-sex marriage, gay adoption, and military service remain banned. Perhaps that will change soon.

COSTA RICA: Government To Close Zoos And Release Animals From Captivity

Citing a change in "environmental conscience," Costa Rica will close its zoos and release many of its animals back to the wild.

“We are getting rid of the cages and reinforcing the idea of interacting with biodiversity in botanical parks in a natural way,” said Environment Minister René Castro. “We don't want animals in captivity or enclosed in any way unless it is to rescue or save them.” The closures will take effect in March 2014, when the government's contract with the organization that operates its two zoos is set to expire -- a move that Castro says reflects "a change of environmental conscience among Costa Ricans." The facilities which now house captive animals, Simon Bolivar Zoo and the Santa Ana Conservation Center, will be then transformed into urban parks or gardens where wildlife can visit and live freely if they so choose.

Animals deemed unfit for release will be relocated to wildlife sanctuaries.

RELATED: Earlier this year Costa Rica banned all sport hunting.

COSTA RICA: President Signs Bill That "Accidentally" Legalizes Gay Unions

On Monday the national legislature of Costa Rica approved a bill that some claim "accidentally" legalizes civil unions or marriage for gay couples. Most had expected the president to veto the bill and that it would be rewritten.  But she has signed it. Via Google Translate:

Chinchilla signed the law that was not raised to give rights to homosexuals, but to strengthen the Young Person Act, and was presented by a deputy of National Liberation (PLN), Jorge Rojas. However, a motion of the deputy of the Frente Amplio, José María Villalta, joined the project and change Article 242 of the Family Code, which regulates the relations made ​​after three years of living, where to between couples "with legal capacity for marriage".

The amendment passed the 45 deputies present in the plenary on Monday afternoon, states that the recognition of the rights to do "without discrimination contrary to human dignity" and the social and economic effects of unions. For Deputy Villalta, the law firm "means a small step to combat discrimination that many people suffer orientation in Costa Rica".

Meanwhile, across the street from those who are against the Costa Rican Renovation deputy, Justo Orozco, said he would file a bill for there to be an "authentic interpretation" of what was intended vote in plenary. Orozco also explained why he voted for the plan: "God saved me," he said, recalling that he was in his office. For the evangelical Carlos Avendaño, the law does not give anyone rights since in his opinion does not generate substantial changes in the Family Code to allow marriage between same sex. "I find it regrettable that this created that expectation," he said.

Costa Rica's first female president, Chinchilla has battled against placing a legal separation of church and state into the national constitution, which declares Costa Rica to be a "Roman Catholic nation."  After her election in 2010, Chinchilla declared her continued opposition to same-sex marriage, but said that Costa Rico should move forward on some legal recognition for gay couples. (Tipped by JMG reader Austin)

NOTE: Spanish speakers, please feel free to correct or provide context to the above-linked translation.

COSTA RICA: Legislature Accidentally Approves Bill Legalizing Civil Unions

Lawmakers in Costa Rica are arguing over who's to blame after a bill that appears to have legalized civil unions was approved yesterday.

According to Costa Rican newspaper La Nacion, a project to ‘reinforce the quality of life in the country's youth’ also contained clauses about changing the Family Code to include same-sex unions. The bill, which 45 MPs approved last night, amended Article 242 of the Family Code, which regulates domestic partnerships. Manrique Oviedo, of the Citizen Action Party (PAC) urged Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla to veto the bill in order to ensure that same-sex unions are not legalized. Oviedo, who has previously opposed same-sex unions based on his evangelical beliefs, himself voted for the bill last night.

Read the story from the local Spanish press.

COSTA RICA: Supreme Court Rules Marriage Referendum Unconstitutional

Andres Duque translates the good news.

The Supreme Court in Costa Rica ruled (today) that a referendum scheduled for December 1st which would have banned marriage rights for same-sex couples was unconstitutional. The article does not give the vote total but says that the majority determined that the issue of marriage rights was a judicial issue and not an electoral issue and that the rights of minorities should never be subjected to a referendum process where they might be subjected to the wishes of a majority.

Emphasis motherfucking mine, Maggie.

Costa Rica Considers Marriage Vote

Costa Rican LGBT activists are fighting an effort by the Catholic Church to force a public vote on legal recognition for same-sex relationships.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) approved a proposal made by four lawyers, backed by 150,000 signatures -- 20,000 more than are legally required -- calling for the referendum, rather than the legislature, to determine whether to allow gay and lesbian civil unions. It set Dec. 5 as the date for the vote. The fate of the referendum is now in the hands of the constitutional chamber of the Supreme Court, which must rule on a legal challenge to the ballot, based on the principle that human rights cannot be subject to a vote. Since 2006, the single-chamber Costa Rican parliament has been discussing a civil union bill that would recognise same-sex couples. The referendum is being openly promoted by Observatorio Ciudadano, an organisation backed by the Catholic Church, in this overwhelmingly Catholic country. Human rights organisations accuse the Church leadership of religious interference in political affairs.

In recent years Costa Rica has become an increasingly popular travel destination for gay men. That is likely to end should the referendum succeed.

COSTA RICA: High Court Suspends Gay Marriage Referendum

Costa Rica's highest court has orderd that an upcoming vote on same-sex marriage be suspended because it might violate the nation's constitution.

The Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court) has ordered the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) to suspend the process of the referendum on same sex marriages that was to have been included in the December 2010 municipal elections. The court order was based on an appeal filed against the referendum. The Recurso Amparo (appeal) was presented by an individual identified only by the last names, Quirós Salazar, alleging that the referendum violates the rights and freedoms of individuals. The referendum was to have let the population decide the fate of a proposal for law that would allow same sex marriages in Costa Rica. Opponents to the referendum have argued that leaving the allowing the majority of the population (93%) which is heterosexual would be a constitutional violation of the 7% of the homosexual population.

Hurray for not allowing votes on minority rights!

Rush Limbaugh: If Health Care Reform Passes, I'm Moving To Costa Rica

Zillionaire Rush Limbaugh, who could put a daily heart transplant on his debit card, says he'll leave the United States if health care reform passes.

My guess in even in Canada and even in the UK, doctors have opted out. And once they’ve opted, they can’t see anybody Medicare, Medicaid, or what will become the exchanges. They have to have a clientele of private patients that will pay them a retainer and it’ll be a very small practice. I don’t know if that’s been outlawed in the Senate bill. I don’t know. I’ll just tell you this, if this passes and it’s five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented — I am leaving the country. I’ll go to Costa Rica.

Ah, Costa Rica, where the tropical winds blow as easily as the Oxycontin flows.

Newly Elected Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla Discusses Same-Sex Marriage

Just elected Costa Rica president Laura Chinchilla says its time for her country to move forward on same-sex partnership rights, but adds that marriage itself must be left to heterosexuals. Clip and captioning by Andres Duque at Blabbeando.

A Global Swell Of Anti-Gay Hate

What a strange Pride Month it has been so far for LGBT folks around the world. On the sort of plus side, Colombia tried but failed to grant gay couple similar rights to those of straight couples and Costa Rica is contemplating a similar attempt. On the downside, we've got Russia with banned Pride marches, violence against gays, and an American protest of Russian vodka. Israeli cult Orthodox Jews are issuing curses and staging anti-gay rallies. Jamaican mobs routinely beat suspected queers. In Iran and Iraq, militias hunt down and murder gays. And now comes word that thousands of gay Poles are fleeing their country in advance of a government-sponsored persecution program which includes a research into "curing" homosexuals. Many of these gay Poles are applying for asylum in Germany and the UK.

Those of you reading from far safer places, keep these folks in your thoughts. We're making great progress in many places, especially in the U.S., but we need to put the pressure on our government to consider the plight of foreign queers when they deal with their governments. These anti-gay thugs see what's going in other countries and feel emboldened. It's about time our famous big stick is used for something besides oil.