More than 500 gay-rights activists marched through Paraguay on Saturday, demanding lawmakers approve same-sex marriage.
“This march is about gay and lesbian pride, but we are also demanding that Congress approve in the future a marriage law for people of the same sex,” explained protestor Analia Gonzalez of the annual demonstration, which began on the steps of Antequera and ended at the Pantheon of Heroes.
With no action on proposed marriage-equality legislation, Paraguay looks increasingly like an outlier in South America: Neighboring Uruguay became the continent’s first country to approve same-sex civil unions in 2010, and has been joined by Brazil, Columbia and Ecuador. Argentina, just south of Paraguay, became the first nation on the continent to legalize gay marriage, in 2010 and nearby Chile and Bolivia are currently debating the issue. Paraguayan activists cite opposition by the Catholic Church as the main obstacle in the historically conservative country.
Eban
Things are very complicated in Paraguay. Paraguay, known as the heart of South America, is a very conservative country. It is not just the Catholic church that has a lot of sway in the country but also Evangelical and Mormon churches.
The capital, Asuncion, and metropolis Ciudad Del Este are more tolerant than most other cities in Paraguay, but many GLBTs are not out even in these cities. Just a few weeks ago, a teen couple was harassed and beaten by the police just for kissing in a plaza in Asuncion. This harassment is not uncommon but the youth actually went and reported the incident which shows that the country is making a lot of headway, but it feels lightyears behind its neighboring countries in terms of gay and civil rights.
Fuerza Paraguay!