Last week, same-sex marriage came to Tijuana, as Baja California’s largest city was the site of the nuptials between designer Luis Vargas, 48, and businessman Michael Bujazán, 71.
On Monday, the two men, who have been lovers for 14 years, held a news conference to announce they had been married the previous week, noting that Tijuana City Hall had rebuffed their initial attempt, according to the San Diego Tribune. City Hall cited the Baja California constitution’s assertion that marriage involves a man and a woman, but capitulated after the judiciary forced civil registry officials to perform the ceremony 11 months later.
In January, two Mexicali residents were married after two years of challenging municipal authorities; they became the first gay couple married in Mexicali.
A Mexican Supreme Court ruling in June argued that holding marriage as exclusive to men and women couples was discriminatory and violated Mexico’s constitution. The ruling did not aver that same-sex unions are legal.
Mexico City legalized gay marriage in 2009; roughly 5,300 gay couples have been married there since.
José Luis Márquez, who represented both the Mexicali and Tijuana couples, said their marriages were “a triumph for all citizens.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.