Argentine President Cristina Fernandez
de Kirchner is expected Wednesday to ratify a gay marriage law
approved by lawmakers.
“This morning, Chief of Staff Anibal
Fernandez called us to say [President] Cristina Fernandez will
promulgate the gay marriage law on Wednesday at an event to include
gay rights groups,” Maria Rachid, president of the Argentine
Federation of Lesbians Gays Bisexuals & Trans (FALGBT), a group
that lobbied for passage of the bill, told members of the Argentine
press.
The president is currently traveling in
China.
Rachid also said that over 100 gay and
lesbian couples are preparing to wed in Argentina as the law comes
online. The first marriage is expected to take place on August 13 in
the capital city of Buenos Aires.
After a marathon 15-hour debate in the
Senate, Argentina
became the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage on
Thursday, over the strong objections of the Roman Catholic
Church. More than 90 percent of Argentinians say they belong to the
church.
Mexico City officials have offered a
free honeymoon to the first gay couple to marry in Argentina.
Gay and lesbian couples can also marry in the Mexican capital, a fact
tourism officials hope to capitalize on.