Colombia's Constitutional Court on
Thursday rejected a lawsuit challenging the nation's marriage laws
that if successful would have legalized gay marriage, Telesur
reported.
The court voted 5-4 to dismiss a
lawsuit brought by 2 attorneys for a change in the country's laws
that would remove the definition of marriage as between a man and a
woman.
The court said the request, filed in
September 2009, was flawed and presented in an irregular manner.
The court's president, however, added
that “nothing is final.”
“It is possible to insist on civil
marriage for same sex couples in front of the court,” Judge
Mauricio Gonzalez Cuervo said, “but with more detailed arguments
because this issue will play a vital role within Colombia's
constitution.”
Gay activists on Friday said they would
protest the decision.
A recent poll found that a large
percentage (63%) of residents of Bogota, the country's capital and
largest city with over eight million residents, favor giving gay and
lesbian couples the right to marry.
Mexico City approved Latin America's
first gay marriage law in December and lawmakers in Argentina quickly
followed its lead, approving
the region's first nationwide gay marriage law in July.
Mexico's
Supreme Court has ruled that all 30 of the country's states must
recognize the gay marriages originating in its capital, in effect
legalizing gay marriage recognition throughout the country.
Other Latin American countries,
including
Chile, Peru, Paraguay
and Uruguay, are considering laws that recognize the unions of
gay couples.