The Constitutional Court in Ecuador ruled Wednesday in favor of same-sex marriage. The five-justice majority argued that all people are equal, and that this change was necessary to prevent discrimination.
This decision will require the National Assembly to change the laws defining marriage. Ecuador’s constitution, ratified in 2008, defines marriage as between a man and a woman (Article 67).
The four dissenting justices argued that to recognize same-sex marriage would require constitutional reform which should be debated in parliament.
The LGBTQ community and activists celebrated the ruling.
With this decision, Ecuador joins other South American countries such Argentina and Brazil, in recognizing the same-sex marriage.
