Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 10 august 2018

Argentine Senate rejects legalizing elective abortion

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO "to accept the children that
Associated Press God gives them." Activists
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina estimate that 3,030 women
(AP) — Argentina's Senate in Argentina have died of
on Thursday rejected a illegal abortions since 1983.
bill to legalize elective "Let's recognize that we're
abortion, a defeat for facing a public health
a grassroots movement tragedy," said Magdalena
that came closer than Odarda, a senator for Rio
ever to achieving the Negro province.
decriminalization of the "We're not deciding
procedure in the homeland abortion yes or no. We're
of Pope Francis. deciding abortion in a
Lawmakers debated for hospital, or illegal abortion,
more than 15 hours before with a clothes hanger, or
voting 38-31 against the anything else that puts a
measure that would have woman in a humiliating,
allowed abortion in the first degrading situation — a
14 weeks of pregnancy. real torture," she said.
The decision could echo Many women in Argentina
across Latin America, use misoprostol to end
where anti-abortion forces first-trimester pregnancies.
remains strong even if the The drug is only sold under
Roman Catholic Church Demonstrators against decriminalizing abortion celebrate outside Congress in Buenos Aires, prescription, but for the
has lost influence due Argentina, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. poorest women the cost of
to secularization and an Associated Press the drug is out of reach.
avalanche of sex abuse For many of them, the
scandals. had said that he would sign Backers of the measure into a global phenomenon. methods used to induce
For long hours, thousands it, even though he is anti- said legalizing abortion The issue pitted the Catholic an abortion include using
of supporters wearing abortion. would save the life of many Church against feminist an IV tube with a sharp wire
green handkerchiefs After the decision, Macri women. The Health Ministry groups, physicians against clothes hanger or a knitting
that represent the effort said that the debate would estimated in 2016 that the physicians. While abortion needle to try to break the
to legalize abortion and continue. The government country sees as many as rights activists waited amniotic sac inside the
opponents wearing light is also expected to include a half a million clandestine for the decision under womb. Others drink herbs,
blue braved the heavy rain measure in the penal code abortions each year, with umbrellas, opponents insert dubious non-abortive
and cold temperatures that would decriminalize dozens of women dying gathered Wednesday night pills in the vagina, or pump
in Argentina's winter to abortion, although it would as a result. The Catholic at a "Mass for Life" at the toxic mixtures, which can
watch the debate on large not legalize the practice. Church and other groups Metropolitan Cathedral, cause ulcers, hemorrhage
screens set up outside "We've shown that we opposed it, saying it the church of Pope Francis and ultimately severe
Congress. have matured as a violated Argentine law during his tenure as the infections, and death.
The demonstrations were society, and that we can guaranteeing life from the archbishop of Buenos Aires. For months, hundreds
largely peaceful, but after debate with the depth moment of conception. "It's not about religious of doctors in Argentina
the vote, small groups of and seriousness that all In recent years, Argentina beliefs but about a had staged anti-abortion
protesters clashed with Argentines expected ... has been at the forefront humanitarian reason," protests while feminists
police, throwing firebombs and democracy won," of social movements Cardinal Mario Poli, the and other groups led even
and setting up flaming Macri said after the vote. in the region. In 2010, it archbishop of Buenos Aires, larger demonstrations in
barricades. Police officers In Argentina, abortion is became the first country told churchgoers. "Caring support of the measure,
responded with tear gas. only allowed in cases of in Latin America to legalize for life is the first human right often wearing green that
Pushed by a wave of rape and risks to a woman's same-sex marriage. More and the duty of the state." symbolizes the pro-abortion
demonstrations by women's health. Thousands of recently, the Ni Una Menos, Pope Francis this year movement, or red cloaks
groups, the lower house women, most of them poor, or Not One Less, movement denounced abortion as the and white bonnets like
had already passed the are hospitalized each year that was created in "white glove" equivalent the characters from the
measure and conservative for complications linked Argentina to fight violence of the Nazi-era eugenics novel-turned-TV series "The
President Mauricio Macri due to unsafe abortions. against women has grown program and urged families Handmaid's Tale."q