Quintana Roo Labor Party to Push Bill Recognizing Same-Sex Common-Law Marriage

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Sexual Diversity Coordination of the Labor Party (PT) in Quintana Roo will present a bill to the state Congress to reform the Civil Code and recognize common-law marriage between same-sex couples, granting them associated rights.

Wilberth Eleazar Francisco Rosas, the party’s state coordinator for sexual diversity, said at a press conference that the initiative aims to advance rights for all people in the state. He noted that many same-sex couples live together without any legal recognition under current state law, making it important to establish a new definition of concubinage that gives them the same rights as opposite-sex couples.

The proposal includes reforms to ensure that same-sex couples in common-law relationships can access social security benefits and transfer those rights more easily.

Rosas cited data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) showing that 96,634 people in Quintana Roo identify as members of the sexual diversity community. He stressed the importance of legislative progress so that these individuals can exercise their rights without obstacles.

“Most of us in the sexual diversity community live in free union; so it’s important,” he said.

Rosas also said the PT is working to establish sexual diversity coordination offices in every municipality. So far, the party has offices in Benito Juárez, Cozumel, and Isla Mujeres. He called for greater representation of sexual diversity in both the state Congress and municipal councils, with positions held by members of the community.

“We want those spaces to be occupied by people who are truly part of the sexual diversity group, so we can do real work. Someone who doesn’t understand the issue cannot come and try to generate public policy, because they don’t understand how this system works,” he added.

Rosas said hate crimes and expressions of hatred against the LGBT community remain prevalent on social media and in the streets. He said much more legislative work is needed to penalize such expressions that community members face daily.

“We have to open our eyes to see that we really have a need. We are not asking for different treatment or greater demands than other population sectors. We are asking for equal treatment,” he said.

He concluded by saying that the PT in Quintana Roo is currently a model party in terms of support and internal organization regarding sexual diversity, predicting that other political parties will soon appoint their own state and municipal sexual diversity coordinators.