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WORLD NEWS Thursday 24 March 2022

Venezuelan same-sex couples still wait for right to marry

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)
— Ana Margarita Rojas
and Elena Hernáiz have
shared their lives for more
than three decades and
raised a son together. Their
neighbors in Venezuela’s
capital recognize them as
a couple, never question-
ing them when they refer to
each other as “mi esposa”
— “my wife.”
Their social acceptance,
however, does not trans-
late into legal recognition.
Venezuela remains on a
shrinking list of South Ameri-
can countries that do not
allow same-sex marriages.
This despite the fact that
Venezuela’s highest court
has had seven years to rule
on a key case and Presi-
dent Nicolás Maduro has
asked lawmakers to con-
sider the matter.
This inaction has left cou-
ples and activists won-
dering whether a country Elena Hernáiz, left, and Ana Margarita Rojas, smile during an interview in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022.
steeped in a political, so- Associated Press
cial and economic crises to create a protection for capitalism and socialism. In ing party’s control, has not few chanted, their com-
will ever grant them the couples through a concept the 21st century, it is totally, debated the issue. plaint that “procedural de-
right to marry. Many see a other than marriage. I would say, superfluous as Venezuelan society, mostly lay is patriarchal violence”
government that ignores Some couples have trav- a discussion. Roman Catholic, is conser- barely audible from less
them and an opposition eled abroad to marry de- In the 21st century, (the vative on some issues and than a block away.
that prioritizes other issues. spite knowing their union discussion) is development liberal in others. It rarely The transgender man said
“We are in a country where would not be recognized with inclusion, there is noth- condemns homophobia. the demand for the ap-
being a citizen is already upon their return to Vene- ing else, and that means High-ranking government proval of same-sex mar-
an uphill struggle, being zuela. Others, like Rojas and eliminating all the barriers officials — even Chávez at riage in Venezuela is not
recognized as a minor- Hernáiz, have obtained le- that exist.” one point — often mock only about legalizing their
ity citizen is a higher uphill gal documents that allow In Latin America, court and insinuate their political unions on paper but also
struggle,” said the 59-year- them to make emergency decisions have legalized opponents are homosexu- about protections against
old Rojas. “Here, there is medical decisions for the same-sex marriage nation- als to try to disqualify them discrimination. Before film-
great ignorance and great other, gives them rights ally in Brazil, Colombia, despite claiming to support ing a new video, he ac-
disrespect for citizens ... So, over each other’s property, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the LGBT community. knowledged that people
if I don’t recognize you as including bank accounts, Mexico, while legislation Adrian, who became Ven- in Venezuela have died of
an opponent, I don’t rec- and custody of children. led to the same result in ezuela’s first transgender hunger and lack of medi-
ognize you as a profession- Venezuela’s transition to Argentina, Uruguay, and lawmaker, said some of the cal supplies during the crisis
al, I don’t recognize you as socialism beginning in 1999 last year, Chile, according opportunities to advance but noted that “the hatred
a citizen, I’m not going to under Maduro’s mentor, to the Human Rights Cam- progressive causes ended that exists in this country”
recognize you as LGBT.” the late President Hugo paign. when many young profes- has also been deadly.
Venezuela’s Supreme Chávez, and the crisis that Maduro in October 2020 sionals left the country be- Unlike Rojas, Hernáiz and
Court of Justice, one of undid the country after his asked the National Assem- cause of the crisis. Adrian, Key has no refer-
many government bodies death has kept Venezu- bly to debate same-sex The Chavista movement ence to a pre-socialist Ven-
seen as loyal to Maduro, elan society — and its gov- marriage legislation during has also sought the support ezuela. The acrimonious
formally agreed in 2016 to ernment — from debating its following term. He cited of evangelicals, but it is not back and forth between
weigh in on the matter af- the issue as has occurred in comments Pope Francis clear how far this has influ- the ruling party and op-
ter receiving a case a year other Latin American coun- made in a documentary enced the lack of action position is all he knows as
earlier, but it has not issued tries. in which he backed civil on the same-sex marriage government. He is hopeful
a ruling. “They have not allowed us unions for homosexual cou- debate. that one of the two sides
A previous decision deter- to have the serious discus- ples. Activists earlier this year will make same-sex mar-
mined that the constitution sions of the 21st century,” “I have friends and ac- hosted a protest outside riage legal within the next
does not prohibit or con- Tamara Adrian, an attor- quaintances who are very the Supreme Court to de- 10 years.
demn same-sex relation- ney and former opposition happy with what the Pope mand justices take up the “My activism is nonpartisan
ships, but it does not extend lawmaker, said referring to said yesterday,” Maduro languishing case. But in a and my priority as an activ-
them any protections be- Chavez’s disciples, called said at the time. “I will leave country where demonstra- ist is LGBTQ rights,” Key said.
cause marriage is a union Chavistas. “For the last al- that task, the task of LGBT tions can be shut down by “I don’t care who gives it to
between a man and a most two and a half de- marriage, to the next Na- authorities without notice, me, whether it’s Maduro or
woman. It also determined cades, they have trapped tional Assembly.” no more than 20 people (someone else), as long as
that it is up to lawmakers us in a dilemma between The assembly, under the rul- participated, and only a they give it to me.”q