A lesbian couple has married in Ecuador’s first same-sex wedding after a landmark court ruling last month.
Michelle Avilés and Alexandra Chávez tied the knot on Thursday (local time) at the civil registry office in the Ecuadorean city of Guayaquil.
The couple have been together for four years and told local media they plan to hold a wedding party in November.
During their vows, Alexandra told Michelle: “I promise to love and respect you always.” She replied: “I promise to take care of you and love you for life.”
Last month, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court ruled to allow same-sex marriage in the Andean country.
Judges ruled 5-4 to approve same-sex marriage as they also granted two gay couples the right to marry.
#Ecuador → El primer #MatrimonioIgualitario del país se realizó. Michelle Avilés y María Alexandra Chávez se casaron la mañana de este jueves 18 de julio, en Guayaquil. → @Expresoec pic.twitter.com/X68mfNgdXi
— La Voz del Tomebamba (@tomebamba) July 18, 2019
elepaucar #GUAYAQUIL | La funcionaria del Registro Civil declara legalmente casadas a Alexandra Chávez y Michelle Avilés
Video elepaucar pic.twitter.com/DKzhmZYD13
— Eduardo Robayo (@edurobayo7) July 18, 2019
#NoticiasNacionales| Hoy, se celebró en Ecuador el primer matrimonio igualitario. En el Registro Civil de la ciudad de Guayaquil, tuvo lugar la ceremonia que unió a Michelle Avilés y Alexandra Chávez. pic.twitter.com/WejKkzfho1
— Gamavision (@Gamavisionecu) July 18, 2019
#ATENCIÓN
En el Registro Civil de la ciudad de #Guayaquil, Alexandra Chávez y Mishelle Avilés protagonizaron el primer matrimonio civil igualitario de #Ecuador. ►► https://t.co/WqygDy57Ue pic.twitter.com/R4I3Uf2bca— Manavisión Canal 9 (@manavisionec) July 18, 2019
After the ruling, lawyer Christian Paula said, “It means that Ecuador is more egalitarian, … that it recognizes that human rights must be for all people without discrimination.”
Several couples challenged Ecuador’s same-sex marriage ban in court
Activist Freddy Veloz Baez earlier described the court’s ruling last month as “historic”.
“The Constitutional Court has stood on the right side of history,” he said.
“[The judges] recognized that all Ecuadorians deserve the same rights, no matter our sexual orientation or gender identity.
“This fight started in 2013 and could have never be achieved without all the couples that stood against bigotry and decided to protest the Government’s lack of respect for their dignity and rights as citizens.”
A number of couples and gay rights advocates continually challenged the court to improve LGBTIQ rights in Ecuador.
Because of their persistence, the country now enjoys marriage equality.
Prior to the ruling, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia already recognised same-sex marriage. Therefore the court’s ruling makes Ecuador the fifth country on the continent to allow same-sex marriage.
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