Argentina president announces bill to legalize abortion News
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Argentina president announces bill to legalize abortion

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández announced in a speech to the National Congress on Sunday that he plans to present a bill to legalize abortion within the next 10 days.

Currently in Argentina, abortion is only available in cases of rape or when the mother’s health is at risk, otherwise having an abortion can result in jail time. Fernández said, “A state should protect citizens in general and women in particular. And in the 21st Century, every society needs to respect the individual choice of its members to decide freely about their bodies.” Fernández mentioned the lack of deterrence provided by current abortion laws. According to Fernández, many women, often with fewer resources, resort to secretive abortive practices which can put health and lives at risk.

If Argentina passes an abortion bill it will become one of only four Latin American countries to do so. Currently, Cuba, Uruguay and Guyana are the only Latin countries to allow abortion in the first weeks of pregnancy. Several other countries permit abortion in the cases of rape or risk to the mother’s health, but El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua have banned it completely.

Fernández also used his speech to the National Congress to address upcoming talks with the International Monetary Fund and other creditors about restructuring of its more than $100 billion debt.

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On December 29, 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket, former Chancellor of England, was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by knights acting in the name of Henry II.

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