The first gay civil union in Uruguay

Uruguayan Justice issued the first ruling of civil union (the equivalent of a marriage) of a homosexual couple, three months after the Uruguay became the first Latin American country to state the equality of the unions of equal or opposite sex.

Judge Perez Star Azziz delivered the judgement of union between Adrian Figuera, 38, and actor and theater director Juan Carlos Moretti, 67, in a court room with a low turnout, limited to the inner circle of the intending spouses.

After a relationship of 14 years with Figuera, Moretti called the ruling “an act of justice and a step ahead of Uruguayan society”.

This law that enables “gay civil unions” became active the first days of 2008, and guarantees rights and obligations for homosexual and heterosexual couples who have lived more than five years without interruption, such as mutual assistance, creation of company property, inheritance, charging death pensions and other provisions linked to social security.

The initiative contemplates the opening of a registry where couples of any genre can register, under the same rights as heterosexuals.