In a session that lasted more the 20 hours, Argentina’s House of Representatives passed a bill that would legalize abortion in the first trimester by a vote of 129 to 125 with one abstention. Current law only allows abortion in cases where the life or health of the mother is endangered or in cases of rape, which essentially allows wide latitude among practitioners.
“The bill will now be sent to the Senate, and then to President Mauricio Macri, who has encouraged ‘responsible’ debate over the topic… [Macri] personally opposes the legislation but will not veto it if Congress approves it.
“The new bill… would allow abortion on demand up to the 14th week of gestation. Minors under 16 could get an abortion without having to inform their parents.
“Health care workers under the bill could be eligible for conscience-based objections to participating in an abortion if they make such a request in advance ‘individually and in writing’ to the director of their medical center. Institutions and health care facilities as a whole would not be allowed to conscientiously object to abortion.”
Pro-life groups “the courage of the representatives who rose up in defense of women and unborn children, raising their voices for those whom others want to silence with their systematic elimination.” They also said “the Argentine Senate will have the opportunity to correct this dangerous threat to human rights and to honor the will of the nation’s people.”
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Matthew 24:12.