Argentina’s Senate has passed a law legalizing abortion in Pope Francis’ homeland early Wednesday after a marathon 12-hour session.
The country’s Senate voted by 38 in favour to 29 against with one abstention to approve a bill allowing the procedure through the 14th week of pregnancy.
The vote bucked the traditionally strong influence of the Catholic Church in the region. The reigning Pope Francis is from Argentina.
Like Bishops of Rome and in line with teachings of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has been vocal against abortion, saying it’s like hiring a contract killer.
before him, Pope Francis has been vocal against abortion, de
The development provides that abortion will be legalized up to the 14th week of pregnancy, and also will be legal after that time in cases of rape or danger to the mother’s life.
It was already approved by Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies and has the support of President Alberto Fernández, meaning the Senate vote was its final hurdle.
“Safe, legal and free abortion is now the law,” Fernández tweeted after the vote, noting that it had been an election pledge.
“Today, we are a better society that expands women’s rights and guarantees public health,” he added.
It is worthwhile to note that Argentina is the largest Latin American country to legalize abortion.
Argentina’s feminist movement has been demanding legal abortion for more than 30 years and activists say the bill’s approval could mark a watershed in Latin America, where the Roman Catholic Church’s influence has long dominated.
“Our country is a country of many contradictions,” said Ester Albarello, a psychiatrist with a network of health professionals that supports the bill, who was among the demonstrators outside the congressional building.
“It is the only one in the world that brought members of its genocidal military dictatorship to justice with all the guarantees.
But we still don’t have legal abortion. Why? Because the church is together with the state.”
