Thousands of women across Latin America demonstrated on Thursday, calling for the decriminalization and legalization of abortion in a region where they face a lack of protection and the fear of losing rights.
In Brazil, marches took place in the country's main cities, with the largest protest taking place in São Paulo. Protesters defended voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) and legislation that recognizes abortion as a public health issue. This debate gained prominence recently, with the president of the Federal Supreme Court, Rosa Weber, voting in favor of legalization up to 12 weeks of gestation before retiring. This vote creates a contrast between the Supreme Court, which is considering decriminalization, and conservative deputies, who seek to completely ban abortion.
In El Salvador, activists denounced the total criminalization of IVG as the “greatest expression of violence” against women. Even in cases of unintentional abortions, women can be accused of aggravated murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. An initiative called “Girls and Not Mothers” was presented, advocating the termination of pregnancy in cases of sexual violence against girls under 18 years of age.
In Chile, hundreds of women defended the endangered abortion law in the face of a constitutional proposal that seeks to repeal current legislation. The Chilean Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Antonia Orellana, warned that the repeal of the three causes of abortion provided for in the law would constitute a “serious setback in women's sexual and reproductive rights”.
In Argentina, thousands of women marched against proposals that threaten the right to abortion won two years ago. Activists rejected the proposals of conservative presidential candidates, who threatened to abolish institutions such as the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity, if they win the elections, and call for a referendum on the abortion law.
In Quito, Ecuador, protests called for “free, legal and safe abortion”. Protesters criticized the government for not providing information about abortion in cases of rape, despite historic decriminalization last year. They also questioned restrictions added to the law by conservative President Guillermo Lasso on access to abortion in cases of rape.
In Caracas, Venezuela, almost a hundred protesters called for the legalization of abortion in front of the country's parliament, where abortion is penalized by the Penal Code.
