translated from Spanish: Piñera reiterated defense to announcement for marriage equality: “I have been evolving”

“I feel that this is not a left-wing or right-wing issue, this is not a religious issue. Religious marriage, whether Catholic or evangelical, is between a man and a woman and it will remain so. This is an issue of freedom to love, of being able to freely choose the person I love, it is an issue of protection and dignity of the families that are formed and there are many types of families.” With these words, President Sebastián Piñera defended his announcement about giving urgency to the discussion of the marriage equality bill in Congress. The announcement made during his last Public Account has not ceased to add reactions. In this regard, the president replied that “it is an issue of equality before the law. The state must protect and treat the law equally. That’s why I’ve been evolving,” he said, alluding to the contrary stance he expressed some time ago. In this sense, he exemplified that “I saw President Bachelet that the year 2005 was very contrary and then sent a bill. President Obama; President Biden; Prime Minister Merkel; Prime Minister Cameron, they’ve been evolving.” He even said that “I had talked about this with a lot of people for a long time (…) We had discussed it with the Political Committee many times, I had discussed it with several presidential candidates,” he replied on TVN. HUMAN RIGHTS On the other hand, the president was also asked about the social upheaval and the charges that have been filed against him for possible responsibility in cases of human rights violations. “Denouncing is a piece of paper, it means nothing (…) I am calm with my conscience””We have done everything that was and what is within reach,” he said.

Original source in Spanish