anti-abortion activists (R) and abortion rights supporters (L)
gathering outside the Argentine Congress as senators debate a
landmark bill on whether to legalize abortion in Buenos Aires, on
December 29, 2020. Emiliano Lasalvia / AFP
Argentina Wednesday became one of only a handful of
South American nations to legalize abortion, after hours of debate
in the Senate.
Hundreds of thousands of illegal abortions are carried out every
year in the nation of 44 million, and pro-choice campaigners have
long-urged authorities to put an end to dangerous backstreet
terminations by legalizing the process.
“It becomes law,” said Senate president Cristina Kirchner, after
more than twelve hours of debate.
Thousands of pro-choice activists cheered in the streets of the
capital after the bill was approved 38 to 29, with one
abstention.
It legalizes voluntary abortions at any stage up to 14 weeks of
pregnancy.
Ahead of the vote, pro-choice and anti-abortion demonstrators
had gathered outside parliament despite coronavirus fears.
“This fight was born in the streets,” Silvia Saravia, a
pro-choice activist, told AFP.
The vote overturns a similar one in 2018 which, although also
passed the lower house, ultimately foundered in the Senate by 38
votes to 31.
the result of a Senate bill to legalize abortion outside the
Congress in Buenos Aires on December 30, 2020. EMILIANO LASALVIA /
AFP
South America has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in
the world. In Argentina, terminations were allowed in only two
instances: rape, and danger to the mother’s life.
– ‘Legislate for everyone’ –
The bill was proposed by President Alberto Fernandez and passed the
Chamber of Deputies on December 11, despite fierce opposition from
the Catholic Church and evangelical Christians.
“I’m Catholic but I have to legislate for everyone. Every year
around 38,000 women are taken to hospital due to (clandestine)
abortions and since the restoration of democracy (in 1983) more
than 3,000 have died,” said Fernandez.
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“The interruption of a pregnancy is a tragedy. It abruptly ends
another developing life,” said Ines Blas, a senator from the ruling
coalition.
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However, Senator Silvina Garcia Larraburu, again from the ruling
coalition, said she would vote for the bill this time despite
voting against it in 2018.
– Love for all children –
Despite measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic,
thousands demonstrated in front of parliament, following the debate
on giant screens.
Pro-choice activists have campaigned for years to change the
abortion laws that date from 1921, adopting a green scarf as their
symbol.
Anti-abortion activists had recently started wearing light blue
scarves.
“I know that in the heart of every senator there is love for
their children, their grandchildren, and above all a hope that
children give us,” said anti-abortion protester Karina
Muzaquio.
Outside Congress, anti-abortion demonstrators raised crucifixes,
prayed and set up displays that simulated tombs, around a giant
graphic image of a baby stained with blood.
Across the plaza, pro-choice protesters held signs that reading:
“We will never go underground again.”
Earlier Wednesday Pope Francis, who is Argentine, tweeted: “The
son of God was born discarded to tell us that every person
discarded is a child of God.”
While not explicitly mentioning the vote, his comment was
interpreted by many as encouraging the senators to vote against the
bill.
Such changes have always been slow in Argentina: divorce was
legalized only in 1987, sex education introduced in 2006, gay
marriage approved in 2010 and a gender identity law passed in
2012.
In Latin America, abortion is only legal in Cuba, Uruguay and
Guyana, as well as Mexico City.
In El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, it is banned, and women
can be sentenced to jail even for having a miscarriage.
AFP
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