Chile's Congress Makes History And Votes To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

Can you hear the wedding bells a-ringing? After four long years of inaction, Chile's Congress has officially voted to legalize same-sex marriages at the national level.

According to NPR, the legislation was passed with an overwhelming majority with both houses in the South American country's Congress giving full authorization of the legalization.

CNN reports the motion to legalize same-sex marriage was first presented in 2017. But it wasn't until the country's current president, Sebastian Piñera, made it known that he supported marriage equality that the wheels were put in motion.

In a speech Piñera gave in June addressing the Chilean Congress, he said, "I think the time has come to guarantee that freedom and that dignity to all people. I think the time has come for marriage equality in our country."

This monumental decision now makes Chile the eighth Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriages nationally—following in the footsteps of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Uruguay.

NPR reports that Chile is now the 31st country in the world to legalize marriage equality.