MEXICO CITY, Jan 2 (NNN-TELESUR) — Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) proposed to hold a plebiscite on safe abortion so “women can decide what is best for them.”
“Such a measure should not be taken by an authority, nor the Church. Women must be heard. It is in their hands whether a Safe Abortion bill is drafted,” he assured.
AMLO made the statements one day after Argentina passed the Safe Abortion Law. On a broadcast message, he insisted that “we must appeal to popular democracy.”
The plebiscite’s results “will show the path to follow. The government will act according to the outcome,” he added.
Mexico City and Oaxaca are the only territories that provide free abortion services in their public health care centers until the 12th week of pregnancy.
In the rest of the country, women can stop their pregnancy under exceptional circumstances, such as rape, risks for the mother’s life, or fetus malformations.
Since 2007, there have been about 210,000 abortions in Mexico City. From neighboring states, women travel to the capital to undergo this procedure.
However, in 2019 legal abortion had majority support only in Mexico City and Baja California State, according to a poll published by El Financiero.
The survey showed that 63 percent of the 15,000 adults interviewed were against the right to abortion. Thirty-two percent of the people were in favor. — NNN-TELESUR
