Colombia: Petro Government prepares decree so that minors can change their sex in the Civil Registry

The government of Gustavo Petro is preparing a decree that would allow the change of sex in the Civil Registry of Colombia, also for minors, who would not be asked for the authorization of parents or legal representatives.

This is stated in the draft decree of the Ministry of Justice, according to which people who wish may “correct the sex component of their Civil Birth Registry in exercise of their right to self-determine their gender identity,” choosing between female, male, non-binary, trans or transvestite.

In the case of minors, the draft does not establish a minimum age for them to request a change of sex, but determines that “those who exercise the notarial function will not be able to reject the request for correction.”

Likewise, if the minor appears “without the accompaniment of a legal representative”, the officials must still process the request and “instruct the Family Ombudsman or whoever takes his place (…) to sign the corresponding public deed” on behalf of the minor. of the applicant.

The announcement that said decree is being prepared comes a few days after thousands of Colombians demanded in the streets that the circular of the Superintendence of Health – whose person was appointed by Petro – that encourages sex change, even in minors, be repealed. .

For this reason, the intention of the Petro government has been rejected by parliamentarians and institutions.

Likewise, criminal lawyer Germán Calderón España said in RCN News that, if published, the decree would be “unconstitutional especially because it enables the change of gender and sex of minors before notaries and free of charge.”

Furthermore, “it does not respond to issues that must be dealt with by the National Government because they are the exclusive reserve of statutory law, that is, Congress is competent to regulate these issues.”

In that sense, Senator Mauricio Giraldo has already announced that they will present “a lawsuit for unconstitutionality” if the decree is published.

The senator, a member of the Pro-Life Caucus, pointed out in your X account that the government of Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president, has declared “a war” against the family.

“The Government cannot deny that it advances an ideological agenda. This decree would be a clear violation of the parental authority of the parents. “They want to get into our homes, attack our children, destroy our family values,” he wrote.