New Ecuador Constitution Approved - Allows Gay Marriage

Despite the efforts of the Roman Catholic Church to interfere with the civil laws, voters in Ecuador have approved a new constitution that among other things grants civil marriage rights to gay couples. It is sad that as the rest of the world, including nations that do not have good civil rights records, is moving steady towards marriage equality, the religious extremists in the USA are seeking to write discrimination and bigotry into state constitutions. Here are highlights from the BBC:
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With most ballots counted, results show 64% of voters backed the charter, an outcome President Rafael Correa hailed as a "historic win". He has said the new constitution will help bring about a more just society and tackle instability in Ecuador. . . . . The package contains some of the most wide-ranging proposals the country - or any country in the region - has seen, says the BBC's Daniel Schweimler.

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President Correa is offering more say in the running of the country to women, the poor and Ecuador's large indigenous community. He says he is trying to reduce the power and influence of the business and land-owning elite which has always run the country.

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KEY POINTS:

* Tightening controls of vital industries and reducing monopolies
* Declaring some foreign loans illegitimate
* Expropriating and redistributing idle farm land
* Allowing the president to stand for a second four-year term in office
* Giving free health care for older citizens
* Allowing civil marriage for gay partners