by Rex Wockner
International News
President Rafael Correa has defended a new draft Ecuadorean constitution that grants same-sex couples the rights of marriage, El Telegrafo reported Aug. 1.
The document faces a popular vote Sept. 28.
Speaking in the city of Monteverde, Correa said: "Jesus of Nazareth never preached hatred, homophobia or segregation; instead he knew to say, 'Love one another.'
"It is false that (the draft) is recognizing as family the union of homosexuals. What we are doing is recognizing the dignity of all people without discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, etc."
"Let's hope, now that there's been so much talk about moral incompatibilities between the new constitution and the Gospel, sometimes utilizing falsehoods, that we also can talk with equal force about the profound incompatibility of the social situation — of that inequality, of that existing social injustice — with the Gospels," Correa said.
A poll released Aug. 5 found that 47 percent of citizens plan to vote for the constitution and 31 percent plan to reject it. A "yes" vote of more than 50 percent is needed for the document to take effect. The poll questioned 1,160 citizens nationally and had an error margin of 4 percent and a confidence level of 95 percent.
