Colombia

The age of consent in Colombia is 14 years of age. On 28 January 2009, the Constitutional Court of Colombia had ruled that gay and lesbian couples should enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals. A further ruling passed by the Constitutional Court in August 2011 is now giving the country's politicians two years time for getting a law underway that provides homosexuals with the same status in civil partnerships as heterosexuals. If the Senate fails to find a solution by 2013, homosexuals will be able to have their partnerships registered before a notary. The conservative government meanwhile continues to insist that marriage should be the exclusive reserve of mixed-sex couples. On the 6th March 2009 the human rights defender and LGBTI representative of the organisation Tinku, Álvaro Miguel Rivera was murdered in the city of Cali. This is the second murder of an LGBTI rights defender in Colombia in the past 13 months. Colombia Diversa, the leading LGBT rights organization in Colombia, was a driving force in this cause. The gay scene in Bogotá is increasing in size. There are many gay venues in the city. An annual Gay Pride Parade takes place each June in Bogotá as well as in Medellin, and Cali. In November 2009 the first public event for sexual diversity in Cartagena took place. The security situation for tourists to Colombia has generally improved over the last five years. Nevertheless, it is presently advisable to avoid travelling in the Departaments Chocó, Putumayo, Nariño and Arauca in particular.