International
In Chile, 6,281 couples have married after three years of the same-sex marriage law
Three years after the entry into force of the Equal Marriage Law in Chile, a total of 6,281 homosexual couples have married, the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (Movilh) reported on Tuesday, after obtaining figures from the Civil Registry.
55% of marriages have been between women (3,456) and 45% between men (2,825), and 56 divorces and 70 nullities have been recorded to date, whose sum corresponds to 1.1% of the total ceremonies held since the approval of the rule until December 2, 2024.
A total of 824 people have been registered as sons and daughters of same-gender couples, 710 as children of two mothers (86.2%), and 114 as children of two fathers (13.8%).
“This is not only a legal transformation, but also a profound cultural change,” said Movilh spokeswoman Javiera Zúñiga in the statement.
“In all regions there have been equal marriages and registrations of people as children of same-sex couples, which is good news, because it ends inequalities due to sexual orientation or gender identity of families,” he added.
The Metropolitan region concentrates 54.5% of marriages contracted (3,428), followed by Valparaíso (790), Biobío (308), Bernardo O’Higgins (262) and Antofagasta (247) as the territories where more couples have married.
Aysén (14), Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica (47), Arica and Parinacota (70), Los Ríos (79) and Ñuble (80), the least populated regions of the country, are the ones with the fewest marriages.
The registration of sons and daughters of homosexual couples also corresponds to the number of inhabitants of each region, being the Metropolitan the one that has registered the highest number (466, representing 56.5% of the total), followed by Valparaíso (102), Antofagasta (38) and Biobío (36).
Majority of marriages between women
In all territories, except in Aysén, the number of marriages between women is higher than that of men, and in all cases there have been more children recognized by female couples than male couples.
Equal marriage was legalized in Chile after in 2016 the Chilean State and Movilh signed an Amicable Settlement Agreement before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where the country committed to create, process and approve the rule.
Until then, homosexual couples could resort to the Civil Union Agreement, promulgated in April 2015, which allows the regularization of “the legal aspects of a common, stable and permanent affective life,” the law indicates.
Since its entry into force on December 10, 2021, this agreement has resulted in 12,830 links, 6,566 between women (51.1%) and 6,264 among men (48.9%).
The third anniversary of the publication of the Equal Marriage Law in the Official Journal of Chile coincides with International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.
International
Mexican TikTok Influencer Shot Dead While Livestreaming in Sinaloa
A Mexican influencer was shot dead Tuesday night while livestreaming on social media outside a restaurant in the violence-plagued state of Sinaloa, in northwestern Mexico.
César Gastelum, who had more than 500,000 followers on TikTok, was broadcasting live with two friends while taking part in a challenge in which they dressed as food delivery workers. During the livestream, a motorcycle carrying two individuals stopped beside them, and the driver shot Gastelum in the head.
The broadcast was interrupted immediately after the attack and was later removed by the platform. However, several news outlets preserved parts of the footage and shared images of the incident.
Initial reports from local police indicated that a delivery worker had been killed. However, after reviewing the recording and gathering witness statements, authorities identified the victim as Gastelum, who was approximately 25 years old, according to local media reports. The influencer was known for sharing lifestyle-related content.
The attack took place in a busy shopping area near the Sinaloa Attorney General’s Office in Culiacán, the state capital. Military and police forces were deployed to the scene, while forensic experts collected evidence and removed the victim’s body, according to local television reports.
Sinaloa has been experiencing a wave of violence for the past two years due to internal disputes within the powerful local drug cartel.
Local media have reported that around a dozen influencers, some allegedly linked to criminal groups, have been killed in recent years in the state.
International
Iran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
Tensions remained high in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after a vessel was hit by a projectile, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that negotiations with Iran were moving forward and that the strategic maritime route could reopen as early as Tuesday.
Tehran denied that direct talks were taking place, but Trump insisted that discussions were underway and described the situation as a final opportunity for Iran to reach an agreement.
“This is the last chance they have to sign a good document,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could happen “literally tomorrow” Tuesday.
The comments came after another escalation in rhetoric from Washington. Last week, Trump threatened Iran with military strikes before unexpectedly changing course on Sunday and announcing that negotiations with Tehran would resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai rejected the U.S. president’s version of events, stating that Tehran was not holding negotiations with Washington.
“At this moment, we are not negotiating with the United States. We are negotiating with Oman to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqai said.
Earlier, the Iranian official said that Tehran was close to reaching an agreement with Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen the crucial waterway that plays a key role in global energy trade.
The maritime route has remained blocked by Iran since the outbreak of hostilities following U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced Tuesday that they had launched an attack against an airport in Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed group had previously disrupted the passage of Saudi vessels through the Red Sea, an alternative route used for crude exports by the world’s largest oil producer.
The continued instability in the region has raised concerns over global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important chokepoints for international oil shipments.
International
Lula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to be officially nominated for re-election by his Workers’ Party (PT), marking the start of his campaign for a fourth presidential term.
The nomination takes place during the party’s national convention in São Paulo, Brazil’s economic hub, where around 3,000 supporters gathered to back the veteran leftist leader.
“Today I’m here because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we finally own a home after eight generations without one,” said Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker attending the event dressed in the PT’s signature red.
Seeking the presidency for the seventh time in his political career, Lula is expected to face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
The 45-year-old senator is the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been jailed over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 election.
The party convention opened with videos highlighting Lula’s social initiatives and speeches by four women praising his leadership, while supporters waved PT flags and held signs reading “We Want Lula as President” and “Brazil Is Not for Sale.”
The campaign begins amid growing tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Bolsonaro family who has openly backed several conservative candidates across Latin America.
Last week, Lula warned against foreign interference, declaring, “In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
In July, the United States imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products, accusing the country of unfair trade practices. The measures followed earlier restrictions introduced in 2025, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, in response to legal proceedings against the former president.
Lula has vowed to wage what he called a “war of truth against lies” in response to Washington’s pressure and accused Flávio Bolsonaro of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly helping the United States damage the country’s economy. The senator has denied the accusations.
The Brazilian president also claims Washington is attempting to influence the country’s political landscape in an effort to prevent his re-election.
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