In its ruling, the court said that ‘no matter how many changes happen in reality,’ gay marriages lack ‘conventional and constitutional recognition.’
Panama’s Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is not a human right and the country therefore does not have to recognize such unions, according to a judgment published Wednesday, March 1.
The court had been considering the issue since 2016, following several appeals from same-sex couples claiming the Central American country’s family code was unconstitutional as it only recognizes marriages between a man and a woman.
There is a reality, and it is that, until now, the right to equal marriage is no more than an aspiration, even though a legitimate one for the groups involved, and it does not fall into the category of a human right or a fundamental right, » said the court, in the ruling dated February 16.
The same-sex couples who filed the suit were attempting to have marriages that took place in other countries be legally recognized in Panama.
The court, however, said, « no matter how many changes happen in reality, » for now gay marriage « lacks conventional and constitutional recognition. »
The Catholic Church, which opposes same-sex marriage, holds significant political influence in Panama.
The Interamerican Court of Human Rights ruled in 2018 that same-sex couples are entitled to the same marriage rights as opposite-sex couples, in a binding judgment that applied to all of the court’s members, including Panama. Costa Rica remains the only Central American country to recognize same-sex marriages.