Gay marriage is now legal in the state of Puebla

The state Congress of Puebla recognized this Tuesday the equalitarian marriage with 31 votes in favor, five against and three absences.

“The LX Legislature approves, by majority vote, several reforms to the Civil Code for the state of Puebla, with which equalitarian marriage is now recognized,” announced the Congress in an informative bulletin.

With Puebla, 20 of 32 Mexican states have adapted their laws or implemented actions to allow marriage between people of the same sex without the need for amparos.

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SJCN) declared in 2015 the state civil codes that prevent same-sex marriages unconstitutional; however there are still state congresses that resist reforming their laws.

The vote in the Congress of Puebla was surprising because of the historic resistance shown by the Catholic Church and politicians such as the right-wing National Action Party (PAN).

The vote, which was held virtually, drew national attention from LGBT+ rights activists and the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH).

The government of Puebla, which is controlled by Morena, the party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, promised to abide by the reform of the Congress and the ruling of the Supreme Court.

In other states, Morena has resisted recognizing this right, as in northern Baja California, where activists have demonstrated in recent months against local deputies.

LGBT organizations also filed an appeal with the SCJN against the Yucatan Congress for not approving equal marriage during a secret vote.