BREAKING - URUGUAY - SOUTHERN CONE - Advances Gay Marriage: JULY/AUGUST the bells will ring out! (joining Chile, Argentina, Brazil)

Forte Santa Teresa, 

¨The Uruguayan Senate will vote the marriage equality bill tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2. As you may remember, the bill had been passed by the Chamber of Deputies in December, but the Senate has modified it. According to our Constitution, those modifications will have to be confirmed by the Deputies for the bill to be finally approved. The modifications are minor and do not affect the bill's essence. We know the bill will be passed by both Chambers by an overwhelming majority, and in a speedy way. After this Tuesday's vote by the Senate, the lower chamber will probably vote and pass it in one or two weeks (all in April). Once passed, the government has up to 90 days to regulate it, i.e., to make the necessary changes in red tape to implement it. Hopefully, the first couples will be getting married in July/August.¨

Thanks to Rex Woncker
Thanks to Uruguay
Thanks to Senate and Chamber of Deputies

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/04/uruguay-to-advance-marriage-tomorrow.html

UPDATE:   Thanks to Box Turtle Bulletin

Uruguay Senate Approves Marriage Equality Bill

Jim Burroway

April 2nd, 2013

Uruguay’s Senate, after several hours of debate, approved a bill which would provide marriage equality to same-sex couples in a 23-8 vote.

Sen. Rafael Michelini opened the hours long debate by declaring that same-sex marriage represented a “radical change” that future generations may compare to the abolition of slavery. “Of course I cannot compare it to finaly abolishing slavery, because they were fighting that for hundres of years, but for the purposes of a person acquiring rights, is it not a kind of liberation?” Opposition Senator Francisco Gallinal objected to characterizing same-sex marriage as “marriage equality,” warning that other members of society may demand the legalization of polygamy. The bill was strongly supported by the ruling Broad Front party, while the main opposition parties allowed their members a conscience vote.

The Senate version of the bill is slightly different from the version approved by the Chamber of Deputies inDecember. The bill now goes back to the lower house for final approval. President José Mujica has said he will signed the bill into law when it reaches his desk.