Nicaragua strengthens laws defending traditional marriage, rejecting gay unions/adoption
A sweeping redrafting of family law in Nicaragua 's Civil Code , dubbed the new Family Code, has reiterated that marriage is the “essential foundation of the family,” and that the natural family is the foundation and core for the continued development of the country. The Family Code was approved by the National Assembly of Nicaragua in June of 2014 and came into effect April 8th. The code stipulates that marriage is defined as the exclusive union of one man and one woman, states that only opposite-sex married couples , Nicaraguan or foreign, can adopt children, and bans same-sex couples from receiving fertility treatments to achieve pregnancy. “The new Family Code unifies in one body with its own guiding principles all the family laws. It repeals all laws that are in contradiction with its principles while conserving positive measures and adding new aspects," said National Assembly Deputy Carlos Emilio Lopez in a Nicaragua News Bulletin report. The Family Co