FILE PHOTO: A couple take part in the gay pride to demand a new law of gender equality after President Michelle Bachelet sets marriage equality as government priority, Santiago, Chile July 1, 2017. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido/File Photo

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Monday sent Congress a bill that would legalize gay marriage, a move that follows a string of liberal reforms in one of Latin America’s most conservative nations.

In 2015, Chile’s Congress approved same sex civil unions after years of legislative wrangling. In March, Bachelet, a center-left politician, pledged to send a full marriage bill to legislators before the end of the year.

“We do this with the certainty that it is not ethical nor fair to put artificial limits on love, nor to deny essential rights just because of the sex of those who make up a couple,” Bachelet said in Chile’s La Moneda presidential palace.

Just last week, a Chilean court gave the green light to a law passed in July that will allow abortion in limited cases. Before that, Chile was one of only a handful of countries in the world that outlawed terminating a pregnancy in any situation, including when a woman’s life was in danger.

Bachelet’s push for marriage equality also comes as countries across the region are expanding gay rights. Same-sex marriage has been legalized in recent years in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico, despite the powerful influence of the Catholic Church, which opposes such unions.

It was not immediately clear if Bachelet will be able to push the gay marriage bill through Congress before she leaves office in March 2018.

Though her Nueva Mayoria coalition has a congressional majority, it is severely fractured ahead of elections in November and several members of the coalition hold socially conservative views.</s>Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Monday introduced a bill that would extend marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples.

Ronaldo Jiménez, president of the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation, a Chilean LGBT advocacy group, is among those who attended the announcement that took place at the presidential palace in the country’s capital of Santiago. Nicolás Levy, the Washington Blade’s correspondent in Chile, was also in attendance.

“The president begins the act of signing a marriage equality bill,” said Jiménez in a tweet that included a picture of Bachelet at the ceremony. “That’s how we like Chile.”

Same-sex couples have been able to enter into civil unions in the South American country since October 2015.

The Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation in 2012 filed a lawsuit with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of three same-sex couples who are seeking marriage rights in the South American country. Bachelet’s government agreed to introduce a marriage and adoption bill as part of an agreement it reached with the group in June 2016.

Opinion polls indicate the majority of Chileans now support marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Bachelet is scheduled to leave office in March after her term ends. Former President Sebastián Piñera, who is running to succeed her, and conservative lawmakers in the Chilean Congress are among those who oppose marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples.</s>Proposed legislation also allows gay couples to adopt children and denotes marriage as union between two people.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has sent legislation to Congress seeking to legalise gay marriage, a move that follows a string of social reforms in one of Latin America's most conservative nations.

The bill submitted on Monday would allow gay couples to adopt children and would denote marriage as a "union between two people" rather than between a man and a woman, according to reports.

"We do this with the certainty that it is not ethical nor fair to put artificial limits on love, nor to deny essential rights just because of the sex of those who make up a couple," Bachelet said in La Moneda presidential palace.

In a post on social media, the president wrote: "There are no conditions to love. To keep moving towards an inclusive Chile, today I signed the Equal Marriage bill."

In March, Bachelet, a centre-left politician, pledged to send a full marriage bill to legislators before the end of the year.

But it was not immediately clear if Bachelet would be able to push the gay marriage bill through Congress before she leaves office in March 2018.

Though her Nueva Mayoria coalition has a majority in Congress, it is severely fractured ahead of elections in November and several members of the coalition hold socially conservative views.

Former president Sebastian Pinera, who hopes to run as the candidate for the conservative opposition coalition Vamos Chile in the November 19 vote, told broadcaster Radio Concierto that marriage is not to be confused with same-sex partnerships.

Pinera, however, said he is against all forms of discrimination and in favour of equal rights for gay couples.

In recent years, Chile has been taking a series of steps on the international stage to promote gender equality.

In 2012, the South American country passed a hate crime and anti-discrimination law that protects individuals harmed on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The law was approved following the murder of Daniel Zamudio, a young gay man who died after being severely beaten, and had swastikas carved into his body.

Two years ago, Chile's Congress had already approved same sex civil unions after years of legislative wrangling. And in 2016, Chile was one of the lead sponsors of a UN Human Rights Council resolution establishing the mandate of an independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity issues.

Bachelet's push for marriage equality also comes as countries across the region are expanding gay rights.

Same-sex marriage has been legalised in recent years in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico, despite the powerful influence of the Catholic Church, which opposes such unions.

As of February 1, 2017, there are 21 countries with marriage equality, counting about one billion, or a seventh of the world's population.

Bachelet, who is barred by the current constitution to seek a consecutive term, has been pushing for legislation opposed by the country's Catholic leadership.

Just last week, Chile's Constitutional Court gave the green light to a law passed in July that will allow abortion in limited cases.

Before that, Chile was one of only a handful of countries in the world that outlawed terminating a pregnancy in any situation, including when a woman's life was in danger.

Bachelet had previously served as president of Chile from 2006 to 2010, during which she also pushed for pay equality legislation and emergency contraception, including to persons under 14.</s>SANTIAGO – Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Monday sent to Congress a bill that would legalize gay marriage in one of Latin America’s most conservative nations.

“We do this with the certainty that it is not ethical nor fair to put artificial limits on love, nor to deny essential rights just because of the sex of those who make up a couple,” Bachelet said in Chile’s La Moneda presidential palace.

Two years ago, Chile’s Congress had approved same sex civil unions after years of legislative wrangling.

This year In March, Bachelet, a center-left politician, pledged to send a full marriage bill to legislators before the end of the year.

Bachelet’s push for marriage equality also comes as countries across the region are expanding gay rights. Same-sex marriage has been legalized in recent years in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico, despite the powerful influence of the Catholic Church, which opposes such unions..

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Given that Bachelet will exit office in March 2018, the marriage bill may not have time to make it through congress before her departure.

Will Luis Larrain be successful as Chile’s first openly-gay Congress member?

Last week, a Chilean court gave the green light to a law passed in July that will allow abortion in limited cases. Before that, Chile was one of only a handful of countries in the world that outlawed terminating a pregnancy in any situation, including when a woman’s life was in danger.</s>Chilean President Michelle Bachelet introduced a bill Monday to legalize gay marriage, the latest in a series of recent reforms in a country long regarded as one of Latin America’s most socially conservative.

Bachelet signed the proposal, which will be sent to lawmakers, at a ceremony in the presidential palace. She said the measure seeks to expand the definition of marriage between a man and a woman and would also expand rights for gay couples, allowing them to adopt children.

“We can’t let old prejudices be stronger than love,” Bachelet said.

Chile approved civil unions for same-sex couples in 2015 and decriminalized gay sex in 1999. The bill comes a week after Chile’s Constitutional Court upheld a measure that would end the country’s absolute ban on abortions.

Civil unions have been recognized in several South American countries, though only Argentina and Uruguay have codified same-sex marriage. Gay marriage has also been legalized in Colombia under a ruling by that nation’s Supreme Court.

It’s unlikely Bachelet will be able to push the measure through Congress before she ends her term in March 2018. But gay right advocates celebrated the decision as an important step toward full rights.

“It’s the beginning of the end of discrimination based on sexual orientation to access marriage,” said Luis Larrain, founder of the Iguales Foundation.

“This day will be remembered as much as the day when women were granted the right to vote, slaves were freed or children born out of wedlock were granted the same rights.”

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has sent Congress a bill to legalize gay marriage, the latest in a series of recent reforms in a country long regarded as one of Latin America's most socially conservative.

Bachelet signed the proposal Monday, sending it to lawmakers. She said it would also expand rights for gay couples, allowing them to adopt children.

Chile approved civil unions for same-sex couples in 2015 and decriminalized gay sex in 1999.

Joaquin Flores, left, and his boyfriend, pose for a photo as they wait for the ceremony where Chile's President Michelle Bachelet is expected to sign a proposal for a same-sex marriage bill, at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

The bill comes a week after Chile's Constitutional Court upheld a measure that would end the country's absolute ban on abortions.</s>SANTIAGO, Chile — Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has sent Congress a bill to legalize gay marriage, the latest in a series of recent reforms in a country long regarded as one of Latin America's most socially conservative.

Bachelet signed the proposal Monday, sending it to lawmakers. She said it would also expand rights for gay couples, allowing them to adopt children.

Chile approved civil unions for same-sex couples in 2015 and decriminalized gay sex in 1999.

The bill comes a week after Chile's Court upheld a measure that would end the country's absolute ban on abortions.</s>Following through with the plans announced back in early July, president of Chile Michelle Bachelet has brought forward bill that will give same-sex couples the right to marry and adopt.

The news was announced at an event at the presidential palace in Santiago. In attendance was the president of the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (MOVILH) Ronaldo Jiménez. Tweeting about the announcement, Jiménez announced that “The president begins the act of signing a marriage equality bill, that’s how we like Chile”.

The country’s LGBT+ policies were last thrust into the spotlight in 2012, when the MOVILH filed a lawsuit demanding same-sex couples be given the right to marriage. The MOVILH lawsuit led to a settlement in which Bachelet’s government promised to introduce a same-sex marriage and adoption bill, following the country’s recognition of civil unions back in 2015.

During the same year of Daniel Zamudio’s horrific murder. The 24-year-old gay man was beaten, killed and had swastikas carved into his body.

Zamudio’s murder sparked national outrage and brought together the LGBT+ communities of Chile, leading to the government introducing hate crime laws that included sexual orientation and gender identity. His death also led to a call for the safety of LGBT+ individuals globally, with the now galvanised Chilean LGBT+ community backing the creation of a UN expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, despite a number of countries attempting to block it.

If the bill passes Chile will join 21 countries and territories that have passed marriage equality bills, making it the sixth country in South America to legalise equal marriage.

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 Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper aren’t friends anymore after Trump photo scandal</s>The Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, has introduced a bill to legalise gay marriage, a move that follows a string of liberal reforms in one of Latin America’s most conservative nations.

In 2015, Chile’s congress approved same-sex civil unions after years of legislative wrangling. In March, Bachelet, a centre-left politician, pledged to send a full marriage bill to legislators before the end of the year. On Monday, she fulfilled her promise.

“We can’t let old prejudices be stronger than love,” Bachelet said in Chile’s La Moneda presidential palace.

“We do this with the certainty that it is not ethical or fair to put artificial limits on love, or to deny essential rights just because of the sex of those who make up a couple.”

The bill is expected to allow same-sex couples to adopt children.

The move comes a week after Chile’s constitutional court approved a landmark bill that will allow abortion in some circumstances.

Before that, Chile was one of only a handful of countries in the world that outlawed terminating a pregnancy in any situation, including when a woman’s life was in danger. 



Bachelet’s push for marriage equality also comes as countries across the region are expanding gay rights. Same-sex marriage has been legalised in recent years in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico, despite the powerful influence of the Catholic church, which opposes such unions.

It was not immediately clear if Bachelet will be able to push the gay marriage bill through congress before she leaves office in March 2018.

Though her Nueva Mayoría coalition has a congressional majority, it is severely fractured ahead of elections in November and several members of the coalition hold socially conservative views.

Former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera has said he opposes the bill. “There should not be discrimination, but at the same time the essence of an institution such as marriage should be respected, which has always been about conserving the human race,” he told the BBC.

“It’s the beginning of the end of discrimination based on sexual orientation to access marriage,” Luis Larraín, president of the Iguales Foundation, told the Associated Press.

“This day will be remembered as much as the day when women were granted the right to vote, slaves were freed or children born out of wedlock were granted the same rights.”</s>Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has introduced a bill to legalise gay marriage, the latest in a series of recent reforms in a country long regarded as one of Latin America’s most socially conservative.

Bachelet signed the proposal, which will be sent to lawmakers, at a ceremony in the presidential palace. She said the measure seeks to expand the definition of marriage between a man and a woman and would also expand rights for gay couples, allowing them to adopt children.

“We can’t let old prejudices be stronger than love,” Bachelet said.

Chile approved civil unions for same-sex couples in 2015 and decriminalised gay sex in 1999. The bill comes a week after Chile’s Constitutional Court upheld a measure that would end the country’s absolute ban on abortions.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet sends a bill to Congress for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Chile and adoption by same-sex couples, two years after recognizing civil unions for both same-gender and different-gender couples.