No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsletterSocial conservative lawmakers incensed over LGBT flag at Casa Presidencial

Social conservative lawmakers incensed over LGBT flag at Casa Presidencial

Social Conservative lawmakers lashed out at President Luis Guillermo Solís’ decision to fly the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement Friday, saying that that the leader’s decision “provoked” Christian politicians.

Lawmakers from the Costa Rican Renovation Party, National Restoration, Accessibility without Exclusion (PASE) and the Christian Democratic Alliance criticized the president’s deacons, reported CRHoy.com

The president ordered the LGBT flag be raised on even mast with the Costa Rican tricolor Friday in recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17. Costa Rica has officially recognized the celebration since 2008.

PASE lawmaker Óscar López said the act was a “provocation” at a time when there was a bill to allow same-sex civil unions pending in the Assmebly, reported AmelaiRueda.com

“We are profoundly sad that President Solís did not set time out of his schedule for an activity for the Day of the Family or Farmer. This leaves us much to think about his priorities and we would like to know if he will fly the flags of other causes as well,” said Fabricio Alvarado, lawmaker for the conservative Christian National Restoration Party, according to CRHoy.com.

Later in the morning Friday, Casa Presidencial said that they would celebrate other causes, including people with disabilities and HIV-AIDS, in a similar fashion.

Solís denied that the decision was a provocation, saying, “I think this is in the spirt of fraternity and humanity, which is what we want to rescue.”

The president said that he did not publicly celebrate the other events because of the on-going teachers’ strike, which began May 5.

“Just because I wasn’t [celebrating yesterday] does not mean I’m not thinking about farmers,” Solís said on the lawn of Casa Presidencial, “There’s no double standard or lack of interest; it’s simply a lack of time.”

The president noted that he keeps Costa Rica’s patron saint, the Virgin of the Angels in his office, and confirmed that he planned to attend midday mass in the Basilica Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Cartago, on Sunday.

Not everyone in the church opposed the symbolic flag raising. The president of the Costa Rican fisheries institute, Incopesca, and ordained Catholic priest, Gustavo Meneses, ordered the LGBT standard fly over the institution, too, upon the request from Casa Presidencial, reported Monumental.

Trending Now

From Costa Rica to the US an Expat Longing For Home

There are close to 200,000 people of Tico origin presently living in the US. I have spent the past month in an area where...

Costa Rica Presidential Candidate Fernández Reports Spy Device

Laura Fernández, the presidential candidate for the Pueblo Soberano party, revealed on Tuesday that she discovered a concealed microphone in her personal office, raising...

Costa Rica Faces Calls to Strengthen Shark Protection Enforcement

Costa Rica faces growing pressure from environmental experts and lawyers to tighten enforcement of laws protecting endangered sharks. Recent court rulings have highlighted gaps...

Costa Rica Peanut Growing Guide From Planting to Harvest

Not long ago, a neighbor gave us some peanuts she said were from Peru. Since we’ve had good luck growing peanuts, we were excited...

Costa Rica’s Air Travel is Evolving with Route Shifts

Airlines are reshaping their paths to Costa Rica, with some Latin American carriers pulling back while others from Canada, Mexico, and Europe step up...

Trump Says He Will End US Aid to Colombia as Tensions Spike

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday accused his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, of tolerating drug production and announced he would end “large-scale payments...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica