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Benedict XVI tries to exert influence on questions of abortion and gay marriage

[Translation of an article from El País of Madrid, Spain, for October 28. See original article here.]

By Juan Arias

Three days before the Brazilian presidential election to choose a successor to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in a campaign strongly dominated by debate of a religious nature, Pope Benedict XVI has thrown fuel on the flames with an address at the Vatican in which he asks the bishops to influence the faithful “with a moral judgement in politial questions.” His message could influence the vote on Sunday.

The theme of decriminalization of abortion has been a thorn in the side for both candidates, who were charged by Catholics and evangelicals alike with being in favor of abortion. Out of fear of losing the votes of Christians (60 percent of them Catholics, 30 percent evangelicals), Lula’s candidate, Dilma Rousseff, had to back down and with a letter to Catholics and evangelicals promised solemnly that if she becomes president she will not allow legislation on the questions of abortion and same-sex marriage. Rousseff had begun the campaign arguing for the decrimininaliztion of abortion as a question of public health. (more…)

Men who had been imprisoned for sexual orientation applaud admission of injustice

[Translation of an Agence France Presse article from La Jornada of Mexico City for September 16. See original article here and original interview here.  Or go here for some history.]

Havana – Fidel Castro’s mea culpa for marginalizing homosexuals in the ‘60s has re-opened a dark chapter of the Cuban revolution. “Sisi” can now pluck her eyebrows without being arrested and the daughter of the president is supporting gay marriage, but in those years homosexuals were shoved aside, sent to work camps or into exile.

The recent inteview with the Mexican newspaper La Jornada, in which Castro recognized that era for its “great injustice,” surprised his supporters and his detractors, generated strong reactions in the gay community and stirred debate about tolerance on the communist island. (more…)

Cardinal says high-stakes international interests financed legal change

[Translation of an article from La Jornada of Mexico City for August 16. In response to a constitutional challenge by the federal government, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled in early August by a vote of eight to two that a law passed in December by the government of the Federal District giving full marital rights to same-sex couples was constitutional. A week later, the court ruled that same-sex marriages performed in the Federal District should be recognized in other Mexican states. The court is now considering the question of whether provisions in the law allowing adoption by lesbian and gay couples violates the constitution. The Federal District had approved civil unions, with limited rights, in 2006, the newer law extending the provisions of the earlier one. A similar civil-union law was passed in the northern state of Coahuila in 2007. In July, 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to approve same-sex marriage thoughout the nation.]

By Claudio Bañuelos, Andrés Timoteo Morales and Gabriel León

The archbishop of Guadalajara, Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, has lashed out against the justices of the nation’s Supreme Court who, he says, were bribed to produce the “bucket of spittle” permitting same-sex couples to marry, and are now considering allowing non-heterosexual couples to adopt children. (more…)