BRAZIL welcomes Gay Marriage! The authorities in Brazil have ruled that marriage licences should not be denied to same-sex couples.

The National Council of Justice, which oversees the Brazilian judicial
system and is headed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, said
government offices that issue marriage licenses had no standing to
reject gay couples.

The Supreme Court “affirmed that the
expression of homosexuality and homosexual affection cannot serve as a
basis for discriminatory treatment, which has no support in the
Constitution,” said Chief Justice Joaquim Barbosa on the council’s
website, referring to a 2011 ruling by the top court.

Barbosa
also said there was no reason for the government’s marriage licensing
offices to wait for the Brazilian Congress to pass a law authorising
same-sex marriage.

The council that oversees the country’s judiciary said it was
wrong for some offices just to issue civil union documents when the
couple wanted full marriage certificates.

Correspondents say the decision in effect authorises gay marriage.

However full legalization depends on approval of a bill being examined by the Congress.

Tuesday’s resolution by Brazil’s National Council of Justice
was based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling that recognised same-sex civil
unions.