Brazil's high court has ruled that same-sex civil unions must be recognised, a decision welcomed as a watershed by gay activists who also hope it will curb rising violence against homosexuals in Latin America's most populous nation.
The ruling, however, stopped short of legalising gay marriage in Brazil, which has more Roman Catholics than any other country. The Catholic Church fought the measure.
In a vote late yesterday, all but one of the 11 supreme court justices backed civil union rights for same-sex couple. One justice abstained.
The court ruled that gay couples deserve the same legal rights as heterosexual pairs when it comes to alimony, retirement benefits of a partner who dies and inheritances, among other issues.
In Latin America, gay marriage is legal only in Argentina and Mexico City.
Same-sex civil unions granting some rights to homosexual couples are legal in Uruguay and in some states of Mexico outside the capital. Colombia's constitutional court has granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and allowed them to add their partners to health insurance plans.
Brazil's ruling sets a judicial precedent that must be honored by all public institutions, including notary publics where civil unions must be registered.
"This is a historic moment for all Brazilians, not just homosexuals. This judgment will change everything for us in society - and for the better," said Marcelo Cerqueira with the gay rights group Grupo Gay da Bahia.
"Gays, lesbians and transsexuals will be recognised as being more human. We'll be more accepted by having our rights honored."
Grupo Gay da Bahia said in a recent report that 260 gays were murdered in 2010 in Brazil, up 113 per cent from five years ago, including recent high-profile cases that made headlines.
AP