Opponents of same-sex marriage are planning what they say will be a “massive” demonstration in downtown Guadalajara on Saturday, February 20. The protest will be held outside the Jalisco Congress building in the Plaza de la Liberation.
Lawmakers have been urged to change the state’s Civil Code following a landmark ruling made by Mexico’s Supreme Court last week that invalidated language in local laws declaring marriage only to be between a man and a woman.
According to Daniel Gallegos Mayorga of non-profit Mexicanos por la Vida, the protest is likely to draw at least 100,000 people.
Organizers also hope to gather 148,000 signatures required to hold a referendum that might allow the public to decide whether the Civil Code should be changed and gay marriage permitted.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the mayors of Guadalajara and Zapopan instructed registrars at civil registry offices in the metropolitan area to accept the applications of same-sex couples seeking to get married.
Mayors Enrique Alfaro and Pablo Lemus have “abused their authority” in issuing such orders so readily, Gallegos Mayorga said. He called their actions “unlawful” and said they had “betrayed” their constituents, having both promised to “defend the family” during their election campaigns only six months earlier.
Gallegos Mayorga said state legislators were under “no legal obligation” to revise the Civil Code in light of the Supreme Court ruling, in contrast to many other opinions.
The majority of the state’s legislators, however, have stated that they will now work toward changing the law.
The Jalisco government has also declared its backing for the high court decision, changing its social media logo to a rainbow this weekend in a visible show of support.