A court in Ecuador has issued a historic ruling in favor of marriage equality.

Judges Iliana Vallejo and Ruth Alvarez, in the Family, Women, Children and Adolescents Court, ruled last week in favor of two lesbian couples who were denied their applications for marriage licenses by the Civil Registry.

The denials came after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of same-sex marriage earlier this year, in a decision affecting 20 countries, including Ecuador.

The decision included a declaration that the couples, who were represented by the Feminist Legal Collective of Cuenca, should be allowed to wed right away.

Attorney Catalina Mendoza called the couples and the judges "brave people" who are "making history," El Tiempo reports.

The Civil Registry has appealed the decision, but that does not suspend the ruling or interfere with the ability of same-sex couples to wed, legal expert Sebastián López explained.

He added that the Provincial Court, where the appeal will be heard, is likely to agree with the lower court. While the Constitution still states that marriage is between one man and one woman, the resolution of the Inter-American Court overrules it.

The advocacy group Red LGBTI Azuay cheered the ruling.

"Bravo for the defense of equality and diversity! Bravo for the fight against discrimination! Bravo for love!" it wrote on Facebook.