BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Greater than 600 {couples} married concurrently Saturday in Asunción, Paraguay. Hundreds mentioned “I do” in unison as a part of a authorities initiative to make civil weddings extra accessible throughout the nation.
The marketing campaign, known as “United by Love and Protected by Legislation,” goals to legalize relationships by which {couples} forgo marriage due to financial or bureaucratic causes, stopping them from receiving advantages equivalent to social safety, pensions and inheritance rights.
The Civil Registry and the primary girl’s workplace prioritized weddings for long-term {couples} thought-about susceptible. Practically half of the newlyweds introduced their youngsters to the ceremony.
“It was about time to get married,” mentioned Jonathan Garay, who has lived along with his companion, Fiorella Rivera, for six years. The couple now appears ahead to a household social gathering and their honeymoon.
“We had the chance and we took benefit of it,” Rivera advised The Related Press, including that it was essential “to formalize the whole lot.”
Final week, 120 {couples} additionally tied the knot in a mass ceremony in Ciudad del Este. Earlier this yr, one other occasion was held in Boquerón, the place for the primary time Indigenous {couples} have been married freed from cost.
“The variety of individuals registered on this marketing campaign exhibits that Paraguay does consider in love, does consider in household and does consider within the formalization of marriage,” mentioned Roque Strubing, the communications director of the Civil Registry.
Vice President Pedro Alliana celebrated the unions on X, saying “all Paraguayans have entry to the proper to formalize their union.”
The ceremony crammed the Nationwide Sports activities Secretariat gymnasium with {couples} wearing each coloration, whereas households watched from the stands. Non secular leaders, one Catholic and one Protestant, blessed a lot of the {couples}.
The newlyweds left with marriage certificates and small presents.
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Related Press journalists Jorge Saenz and Emilio Sanabria in Buenos Aires and Gabriela Sá Pessoa in Sao Paulo contributed.
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Observe the AP’s protection of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
