By Wendy Anders

Since 2009, Costa Rica’s gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and trans-gender movement has shown its colorful pride on the city’s streets.

Today, march organizers on their Facebook site estimated 45,000 flocked downtown to celebrate an increasingly supportive climate in the socially and culturally conservative Catholic nation.

In advance of the march, Costa Rica’s Labor and Social Security Ministry shared positive news Friday that the State Funded Old-Age, Survivors, Disability Insurance will extend survivor benefits to same-sex couples.

Minister Carlos Alvarado Quesada, stated in a press release, “I am very happy that we are contributing towards the recognition of the rights of the sexually diverse community. This latest step has to do with giving the many families made up of same-sex partners the peace of knowing they are protected and covered by the same rights that up until today only one part of the population enjoyed.”

This right will apply to same-sex couples covered under the General Pension Plan. Workers covered by the National Teachers’ Plan are excluded from this benefit as their plan is regulated by different legislation, detailed the Ministry.

Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador S. Fitzgerald Haney, sporting a bright red pride march t-shirt, gave a rousing statement today, saying, “There is still much ground to cover, so that people understand that love is love – it is simple, it is powerful, and it is the truth. And that everyone has the right to be themselves, and to live without fear and in peace.

“Today I want to thank the Costa Rican people for their support in the wake of the Orlando tragedy. But this is a time to celebrate, and we are doing that; we are loving and celebrating diversity,” continued Haney.

At the march, Marco Castillo, head of the country’s Diversity Movement, stated in an interview with Radio Monumental, “We are very satisfied with the executive branch and the steps taken to improve rights within the government, as well as with the Social Security Agency, but the Justice System and Legislative Assembly owe us a lot, and we need to continue to fight in those arenas so that agreements are made in favor of our movement.”