Ecuador’s 444 Has Great Things In Store

The 444-article draft constitution of Ecuador includes “socialism for the 21st century”. This measure also expands the powers of the country’s leftist president Rafael Correa. 444 was approved Thursday by a majority of the National Assembly.

The constitution will now goes to a national referendum Sept. 28.

94 out of 130 Assembly members backed the document.

Its 444 articles include a provision that same-sex unions be granted the same rights as heterosexual marriages.

If approved, Ecuador would become the second Latin American country, second to Uruguay, to legalize same-sex unions. Some states in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico offer such unions, and Colombia gives cohabiting couples property, inheritance and Social Security rights.