Costa Rica: Human rights commission head ‘believes sexual orientation can be changed’
The leader of Costa Rica’s Commission on Human Rights has reportedly described homosexuality as a sin and said sexual orientation can be changed.
When asked if a gay person could become straight, Justo Orozco is reported to have said to La Nacion that he believed so, and he believed homosexuality was a sin.
He said: “Unfortunately I do believe that, because it was written in the Bible.
“I have anecdotal proof. In the local churches here [in the province of Heredia], I met one who was that way and who got straightened out.”
In addition to his role as legislator at the National Assembly of Costa Rica, Mr Orozco is a Protestant minister.
According to the Costa Rica star, thousands have complained about Mr Orozco’s position on LGBT rights and called for his resignation since his recent appointment to the post.
Marco Castillo, president of Movimiento de Diversidad, Diversity Movement, announced he will lodge a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights following the comments.
Mr Orozco has been facing calls to resign after he terminated a legislative proposal to give legal recognition to gay unions and succession rights to the partners of deceased gay people, the paper said.
