Guatemalan Congress Vote in Favor of Arguably Unconstitutional Law

Living in a fairly liberal bubble within the western world, I often forget that there are places in the world in which seemingly basic human rights are not granted to countries’ inhabitance. In much of Latin America, there are laws prohibiting same-sex marriages as well as access to legal abortions. Just last week, Guatemalan congress voted in favor of a law legally banning same-sex marriages for their citizens. Abortions were already banned, but this new law would increase the amount of prison time for women who are seeking an abortion.

In addition to the prohibition of same-sex marriages and abortions, congress’s law would disallow the acknowledgment and teaching of sexual and gender diversity in schools. Out of the 160 congressmen, only 8 of the lawmakers voted against what is being referred to as the "Life and Family Protection Law.”Like in the United States, in order for this law to actually come into practice, Guatemala’s conservative president, President Alejandro Giammatte must sign the law.

While it is fairly safe to assume that this law will pass considering Giammatte’s more conservative beliefs, Guatemalan opposers like Lucrecia Hernández are doing their best to prevent the law from being signed, sighting that it is unconstitutional.

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