After notable progress on protecting equal rights one might be excused for thinking that Latin America is an accepting and safe place to live for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people. That would be the wrong conclusion.
Uruguay’s House of Representatives voted 50-49 to allow abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy but the bill is far from what Uruguayans had hoped for.
The legality of abortion in Latin America varies from country to country. The one constant almost everywhere is the inaccessibilty of a safe, legal procedure.
Late last week Uruguay’s President Tabare Vazquez vetoed a reproductive health bill that would have legalized abortion to the twelfth week of pregnancy.
Uruguay’s legislature has passed an abortion liberalization law. Will President Tabaré Vasquez ignore widespread unsafe abortion in the country and veto the bill?
Catholic bishops vow to forcefully confront Obama on abortion; UNFPA calls for cultural sensitivity to achieve gender equality and establish reproductive rights; Uruguayan Senate votes to decriminalize abortion; Bush administration puts successful California family planning program at risk.
The Uruguayan Senate voted Tuesday to decriminalize first-trimester abortions. President Tabare Vazquez has threatened to veto the bill if it passes the House of Representatives.
