Panamanian singer-songwriter and activist Rubén Blades spoke out on Monday, declaring that same-sex marriage is a legal, not political, issue. The 75-year-old former Minister of Tourism reacted to recent statements by presidential candidates who stated their opposition to unions between people of the same sex, citing religious beliefs or the pursuit of votes as potential motivations.
Blades emphasized that same-sex marriage is a matter of law, not morality, and called attention to a 2018 advisory opinion issued by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights urging countries in the region to guarantee the human rights of the sexually diverse population, including the union of people of the same sex. While the resolution has not been implemented in Panama, the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice emphasized in a recent ruling that marriage between people of the same sex does not have the category of a human right or a fundamental right.
Despite the controversy surrounding the issue, Blades insisted that it is necessary to defend the right of adults to love and establish consensual relationships with one another. He argued that legal protection offered to heterosexual marriage should also apply to marriage between people of the same sex, despite potential unpopularity of his opinion.
The statements from Blades come ahead of the general elections in May and highlight the ongoing debate regarding same-sex marriage in Panama.