Costa Rica announced their social security system will extend medical benefits to same-sex couples in a step towards equal rights for gays and lesbians in Latin America, according to Reuters.
The board of directors of the country's social security system, known as the Caja, voted unanimously to extend the benefits on Thursday night, Reuters reported. A bill on gay civil unions has been pending in the National Assembly for years.
Costa Rica is a retirement haven for a growing number of American citizens and has not yet legalized gay marriage or civil unions, Reuters reported.
Costa Rica will now have three months to implement a framework to recognize same-sex couples for health insurance and hospital visitation rights, according to Reuters.
New center-left President Luis Guillermo Solis, who hoisted the gay pride flag at the presidential palace in an act of solidarity on May 16, says he wants to grant the gay and lesbian community more rights, but he does not support gay marriage, Reuters reported.
Social security executive president Maria del Rocio Saenz said it would take 90 days to implement the new reform, according to AFP.com.
"We were really waiting for this resolution, which was a fight of many years. We will be vigilant in the application of the measure, which constitutes great progress for Costa Rica," said lawyer Marco Castillo, director of the Diversity Movement rights group, AFP.com reported.
