Uruguay approves Latin America's first gay adoption law

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MONTEVIDEO — Uruguay lawmakers Wednesday adopted a trailblazing law allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt children, in an unprecedented move in Latin America.

Senator Margarita Percovich told AFP the contentious bill had passed its final hurdle with 17 out of 23 senators voting in favor of the legislation.

It was approved by lawmakers from the ruling leftwing Frente Amplio and the opposition Colorado Party, while the opposition National Party voted against, she added.

The Senate approved a draft bill in July, but it had to win a second vote due to slight changes to the text introduced when the lower house passed the legislation last month.

The adoption law was backed by President Tabare Vazquez and his ruling coalition but faced strong condemnation from the Roman Catholic Church.

Gay adoptions remain contentious worldwide, and Uruguay, a nation of some 3.5 million people, is taking another step away from its more conservative neighbors after having already authorized gay civil unions last year.

Vazquez, the first leftist leader in Uruguayan history, already opened access for homosexuals to military schools in May.

But the move faced huge opposition from the country's religious leaders and some right-wing politicians.

The Catholic Church disapproves of the bill because "from Genesis in the Bible, it says that 'God created man and woman,'" Bishop Paul Galimbertti told AFP.

"The position of the Church is very clear on this issue," he said, adding "there is no proof that adoption by homosexuals is a positive thing."

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