2 women marry in Mexico's embassy in Guatemala fueling a debate over same-sex marriage

GUATEMALA CITY -- Two Mexican women were joined wrong the grounds of Mexico's embassy successful Guatemala connected Friday, sparking choler successful a federation that doesn't admit same-sex matrimony and statement implicit diplomatic sovereignty.

The ceremonial held successful the embassy gardens was intended to observe Pride Month, which is celebrated each June, and the consulate said the matrimony marked a measurement toward inclusion, respect and equality for all.

"We observe emotion without borders," wrote the embassy successful a station connected the societal media level X. “This is the archetypal civilian wedding of a same-sex mates astatine the Embassy of Mexico successful Guatemala. It's a close granted to each individuals erstwhile some are Mexican citizens.”

Shortly after, the ceremonial sparked an outcry among blimpish politicians successful Guatemala, a mostly Catholic state and 1 of a fistful successful Latin America that inactive doesn't admit same-sex marriages. While specified marriages aren't explicitly prohibited, Guatemalan instrumentality lone refers to unions betwixt a antheral and a woman.

Allan Rodríguez, the caput of the VAMOS enactment bloc and state of erstwhile president Alejandro Giammattei, was among those to cull the wedding, penning successful a connection that “although the enactment whitethorn beryllium protected nether outer jurisdictions, it intelligibly contradicts Guatemala’s existent ineligible framework.”

According to the congressman, the properties wherever embassies are located “are not overseas territory; they simply bask diplomatic privileges" and truthful are not a portion of the Mexican state. He claimed considering them arsenic specified would "violate law principles of sovereignty, territorial unity, and the regularisation of law.”

Rodríguez, a erstwhile president of Congress, is sanctioned by the United States for obstructing anti-corruption efforts and undermining ideology successful Guatemala.

The bureau of progressive President Bernardo Arévalo said that nether planetary instrumentality embassies similar Mexico's "have territorial immunity and run nether the jurisdiction of the authorities they represent.”

“In this case, it is an enactment carried retired by the Mexican Consulate successful Guatemala and aimed astatine Mexican citizens. Therefore, it is exclusively the work of the Government of Mexico, done its diplomatic representation, to remark oregon talk connected the matter," the embassy connection said.

Still, statement lone continued on, with Elmer Palencia, a congressman for the VALOR party, created by the girl of a erstwhile dictator, called the marriage, “not an enactment of inclusion, but a provocation.”

"Out of respect for the big country, Mexico should refrain from that narrative. Guatemalan sovereignty and societal institutions merit that respect,” helium said.

Constitutional lawyer Edgar Ortíz contradicted the blimpish politicians, saying the matrimony doesn't interruption Guatemala's sovereignty and complies with the Vienna Convention, which establishes that what happens connected diplomatic premises “are not taxable to the big state’s jurisdiction.” He noted that Guatemala's constitution establishes that the state volition govern pursuing planetary principles.

“In nary mode are Guatemala’s laws being altered; the effects of this matrimony volition hap successful Mexico, which does admit same-sex marriage,” helium said.

“Rather," helium added, “it is the Guatemalan lawmakers who are violating sovereignty, by interfering successful Mexico’s affairs and trying to archer them what they tin oregon cannot do. That seems acold much discourteous.”