(Montevideo) President Tabare Vazquez signed legislation Thursday making Uruguay the first country in Latin America to allow same-sex couples to enter civil unions. The law takes effect at the beginning of 2008.

The bill passed Congress earlier this month.

The law will allow same and opposite-sex couples to form civil unions. Couples must have been together for at least five years and sign a registry. They would then receive pension, inheritance and parenting rights.

The measure was a campaign promise of Vasquez's ruling leftist coalition.

Same-sex marriage will remain illegal in Uruguay, something LGBT rights groups say they will continue to fight. But, they say the civil union bill is a major step in the right direction in a region where the Catholic Church dominates much of everyday life.

The church fought the legislation from the onset and repeated a pledge Thursday that it will continue to fight any attempt to legalize same-sex marriage.

In neighboring Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul state which lies along the border, passed civil union legislation in 2004, two years after Buenos Aires passed a similar law. Civil unions also are legal in Mexico City and Coahuila state.

Earlier this year lawmakers in Colombia passed legislation giving same-sex couples most of the same rights as opposite-sex married couples and a week later killed it in a procedural move by conservative senators. (story)

by 365Gay.com