Mexico City has become the first city in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriages. The legislation passed on the eve of Christmas and goes far beyond that of 2006, allowing civil unions between same-sex couples and offering them the same financial benefits granted to heterosexual couples. With the favorable vote of parliament, gay couples will also be able to adopt children.
In response to the debate begun in Mexico, the Mexican Bishops' Conference has raised its voice in defense of traditional marriage. The Secretary General of the Conference, Bishop Victor Rene Rodriguez, said the Bishops have expressed their support for the Archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Norberto Rivera, and "any action that the Archdiocese of Mexico will take in relation to this argument, which is a source of controversy in society and within the family." The institution of the family is indeed responsible for procreation and offering children a father and a mother, as a reference for their education and their development as persons. In light of this, bishops of several Mexican states have expressed their solidarity with Cardinal Rivera Carrera for speaking in defense of the principles of family and children's rights.
The Archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, said that the approval of homosexual unions is regrettable. Regarding the possibility of adopting children, he stressed that "it is the most absurd thing, because it is seriously damaging to the adopted child, as it completely distorts his capacity of identity."
The Archdiocese of Mexico has publicly denounced the violent criticism it had received from various gay rights and political factions for defending the family: "the insults and accusations against the Catholic Church and its ministers have multiplied in recent days, not only from several politicians of the Federal District, but also among many analysts and media commentators, who have expressed the degree of intolerance that has been reached in Mexico."
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