By Kristen Green on July 12, 2012.
President Piñera spoke before an audience of ministers and officials before signing the law into effect, Photo: José Manuel de la MazaSANTIAGO — President Sebastián Piñera signed an anti-discrimination law into effect today, allowing people around Chile to file discrimination lawsuits and adding hate-crimes to the country’s violent crimes category for the first time.
In a ceremony celebrating the law’s enactment, Piñera honored Daniel Zamudio, who was brutally murdered for being gay in March of this year.
“We cannot forget that it was only after the brutal murder of Daniel Zamudio, who was killed because of discrimination, hatred and prejudice, that Chile decided to take this step to build a more just, more inclusive and more welcoming country,” the president said during his speech.
Zamudio, whose parents also attended today’s ceremony, was attacked by multiple men in a city park in March. His attackers carved swastikas into his body before beating and killing him. As of today, four suspects, some with records of past attacks against homosexuals, have been jailed for Zamudio’s murder.
Following the young Chilean’s murder, the United Nations urged Chile to quickly pass anti-discrimination legislation, which had been stalling in Congress for seven years.
“Thanks to Daniel, we now have a law that makes Chile freer, more humane, more tolerant and welcoming, especially as we live in a country that often has not had enough will to enforce the fundamental rights of its people,” Piñera added.
The new anti-discrimination law defines “arbitrary discrimination” as “any distinction, exclusion or restriction made by state officials or private individuals that occurs without reasonable justification” against any person on grounds such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, ideology or appearance.
Those who violate the law are subject to fines between 183,000 and 1,832,000 pesos.
Following the president’s address, the Minister of National Property, Catalina Parot, who has faced discrimination throughout her life after a childhood fight with polio disabled her, gave an emotional testimony regarding the law.
“Discrimination has also affected me, and it hasn’t made life easy. I know the pain that discrimination causes,” she said. “The opportunity President Piñera has given me today is very special, that despite my crutches and despite my disability he called on me to become part of his cabinet.”
Several government ministers, civil society organizations, such as Equal Movilh and the Foundation, representative of the Jewish community, and the Mapuche ethnic group also attended today’s ceremony.
Source: I Love Chile