In An Unexpected Move, Lawmakers In Mexico Halt Pro-Abortion Legislation

Abortion will remain illegal in Mexico for now, as Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced in a press conference that pro-abortion legislation would be halted.

Last month, the committee in the Mexican Chamber of Deputies issued a favorable opinion of constitutional reforms, potentially leading to abortion’s legalization. Terms like “reproductive autonomy” and “sexual and reproductive health services” were set to be added to the country’s constitution, until López Obrador and his National Regeneration Movement stepped in. In a press conference, López Obrador said the Mexican people should be the ones to decide.

“When there are highly controversial confrontational issues, points of view, the best thing is to consult the citizens,” he said, adding that he recommends Mexican lawmakers let “citizens be consulted on controversial issues, where there are substantive differences. Consultation and that the people decide, let the people decide.”

Rodrigo Iván Cortés, president of the National Front for the Family, told ACI Prensa that they spoke with leaders of the National Regeneration Movement in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to urge them against legalizing abortion. Cortés pointed out that it was López Obrador’s own National Regeneration Movement pushing for the pro-abortion legislation, but they were still able to sway the lawmakers for now.

“We obtained from him, clearly, the word that, despite the fact that it has already been introduced and that it has already been sent to committees, it would not go to a full session of the legislature,” Cortés said. “We can say that for now this is being sent to the‘ freezer,’ but we must not drop our guard. We know why we are like this right now, because legislators who did not tell the truth in the last election campaign came to hold their seat in Congress with secret agendas, with unspoken interests.”

The abortion industry has been pushing against the pro-life sentiment which remains widespread throughout Central America. Planned Parenthood and other international abortion advocacy groups have put immense pressure on Central and South American countries to legalize abortion, though so far, they have only been successful in Argentina, even though a reported 60% of Argentinians opposed legalizing abortion.