The one-time Lutheran bishop has been cleared by the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber to keep his seat in President Luis Guillermo Solís’ cabinet when a majority of the justices ruled that a ban on religious authorities heading ministries only applied to Roman Catholic priests.
The Attorney General’s Office on Thursday advised Costa Rica's Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, that it believes the appointment of Lutheran bishop Melvin Jiménez Marín as presidency minister violates a constitutional prohibition on active religious authorities serving on the presidential Cabinet.
The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, on Wednesday admitted a citizen’s complaint over whether the appointment of Lutheran bishop Melvin Jiménez Marín as presidency minister is constitutional. Justices gave President Luis Guillermo Solís 15 days to formally respond.
The Episcopal Church of Costa Rica announced Thursday that it would join the Lutheran Church, the LGBT advocacy group Diversity Movement, the U.S.-based Human Rights Campaign, and the Student Federation of the University of Costa Rica to discuss faith, sexual orientation and gender identity.
