A poll carried out in Quito and Guayaquil by polling firm, Informe Confidencial, reveals that the majority of Ecuadorians in both cities oppose abortion in all cases, including in cases of rape.

Responding to the question, “If your daughter became pregnant through rape, would you prefer to have or not have the child?” 54% of respondents in Quito said they preferred to have the child, while 36% said they would not.  In Guayaquil the difference was even greater, with 61% saying they would want their daughter to carry the child to term while 32% saying they would not.

Likewise, in response to the question of whether or not abortion should be allowed, 45% in Quito said the mother should make the choice while 50% said it should be illegal.  In Guayaquil 35% said the mother should be allowed to choose while 64% said abortion should be prohibited.

A ruling last May by the country’s Constitutional Court that definitively prohibited sale of the morning-after pill because of its abortifacient nature has sparked a new debate on abortion and the use of contraceptives in Ecuador.