Costa Rica allows same-sex marriages

Costa Rica on Tuesday became the first country in Central America to legalize same-sex marriage when an order from the country’s supreme court lifting the ban took effect.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most of the scheduled ceremonies following the lift of the ban will be private, though some of them will be broadcast, The Associated Press reported. 

Five other countries in Latin America have legalized gay marriage — with Ecuador the most recent — but Costa Rica will become the first Central American country to allow the unions.

The Costa Rica Supreme Court ruled that the country’s gay marriage ban was unconstitutional in August 2018, giving the country’s legislature 18 months to fix it or it would happen automatically. Costa Rica’s General Assembly failed to act, so the ban was lifted at midnight Tuesday.

An “I do” campaign is coordinating the broadcasting of the ceremonies as well as televised messages from celebrities throughout the day.