Gay marriage in Mexico suffers blow as congressional committee rejects bill

With 19 votes against it and 8 in support, members of the congressional Committee on Constitutional Matters rejected the President's same-sex marriage bill, which would have legalized gay marriage and adoptions by same-sex couples in all 31 states.

At the meeting that lasted a little over 2 hours, members both for and against the bill shared their viewpoints; however, the Commission, which is headed by Guadalupe Acosta Naranjo of the leftist PRD party, ultimately voted to reject the bill.

During the debate, Benajmín Medrano of the PRI party and the same party that the president belongs to, came out as gay and said he would be voting in favor of the bill. Former governor of Yucatan, Ivonne Ortega Pacheco, also voted in support of the bill.

All members of the conservative party PAN voted against the bill, and members of the leftist parties Morena and the PRD voted in support of the bill.

Gay marriage is currently legal at the state level in Campeche, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Quintana Roo and Mexico City and all states are required to recognize marriage certificates issued in those states without exception.

In addition, courts in all states must approve marriage licenses for same-sex couples when petitioned to do so. 

RBL