Uruguay's parliament voted yesterday to extend adoption rights to to gay couples, the latest measure relaxing laws on homosexuality to draw criticism from Church leaders in the predominantly Roman Catholic country.
Members of Congress said the law makes Uruguay the first Latin American country to let gay couples adopt. The measure, which must still be signed by President Tabare Vazquez, also for the first time allows unmarried couples to adopt.
Gay people are allowed to adopt under Uruguayan law, but as individuals rather than jointly as a couple. Gay marriage remains illegal.
Uruguay passed a law in late 2007 to permit gay couples have so-called civil unions that grant similar rights as marriage. Earlier this year the centre-left government also lifted a ban on homosexuals serving in the armed forces.
Church leaders criticised the new adoption law and the centre-right Partido Nacional voted against it.
"The family is the bedrock of society and this measure weakens it. For us, allowing children to be adopted by same-sex couples is conditioning the child's free will," said Partido Nacional Senator Francisco Gallinal.
Latin America is home to about half of the world's Roman Catholics, and government policies on gay rights and other divisive issues such as abortion tend to reflect the Church's conservative stance.