DESPITE PROTESTS and lobbying from the Catholic church, Argentina has become the first Latin American country to allow gay couples to get married.

The Senate passed the proposal at 33-27 votes after 14 hours of debate. It was passed in the lower chamber in May.

Thousands of people took to the streets in Buenos Aires, both in support for and protest against the law.

Senator Miguel Pichetto, head of the ruling party, called it an “historic day” and added, “This is a very significant step on the way to equality.”

However, InfoBae.com quotes Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio saying, earlier this month, that the opposition saw the proposal not as “a political fight but an intention to destroy God’s plan.”

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who supports gay marriage, will now need to ratify the law.

Buenos Aires has allowed gay couples to enter into civil unions since 2003, which allowed couples to enjoy many benefits of partnership. However, civil unions did not give couples the right to adopt or inheritance rights.

This new law will give couples full marriage rights, which will include the rights of children of gay parents. Gustavo Lopez, of the Argentine Anti-Discrimination office, says that the law “recognizes families that already exist and protects them,” adding, “The state has an obligation to protect all families.”