A large percentage of Bolivians oppose
efforts to bring marriage equality to the largely Catholic nation.
According to a survey conducted by
local outlet Pagina
Siete, 74 percent of Bolivians oppose same-sex marriage and
67 percent oppose legalizing access to abortion.
The news comes ahead of a planned July
visit to Latin America by Pope Francis. The pope's visit will take
him to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.
(Related: Pope
Francis to meet with married gay activists in Paraguay.)
In 2012, three years after Bolivians
approved a new constitution which prohibits discrimination based on
sexual orientation and gender identity, while defining marriage as a
heterosexual union, a bill which sought to allow gay couples to marry
was introduced by Senator Hilda Saavedra. It stalled from lack of
support.
Last year, Rolando Villena, Bolivia's
public advocate, publicly backed civil unions for gay couples.