.- The
recent case of Paulina Ramirez, a rape victim who was used by the
US-based “Center for Reproductive Rights (CFR)” and its partners to
force the Mexican state of Baja California to approve abortion in cases
of rape, is part of a new strategy to force Latin America to accept
abortion, according to Carlos Polo, director for Latin America of the
Population Research Institute.
Speaking with
CNA, Polo said the new strategy, which consists of using non-binding
international agreements to surprise countries, “is explained in an
essay entitled, ‘What role does international law play in the promotion
and advancing of reproductive rights in Latin America?” written by
Monica Roa—the Colombian lawyer seeking the legalization of abortion in
that country—Lilian Sepulveda-Oliva and Luisa Cabal. All three
are members of the CFR.
In their essay,
the writers propose using international litigation to “develop new
standards for the protection of reproductive rights” and to force local
authorities to ignore the country’s laws and introduce changes that
would allow abortion and “reproductive health” services for teenagers.
The three women
acknowledge that these situations are “still without a solid legal
framework that reflects an obligation to exercise reproductive rights.”
Polo said this strategy has already been used in three cases—two in Peru and the most recent in Mexico—by the CFR.
The case in
Mexico was that of Paulina Ramirez, who was a victim of rape. In
Peru, the case being used is that of Karen Llantoy, who is mother of an
anencephalic child and whose lawyers argue that it is a case of
“therapeutic” abortion because abortion is not penalized in cases of
life or health of the mother. The other case in Peru is that of
Mamerita Mestanza, who died after a forced sterilization and lack of
medical attention.
Polo notes that
there are common elements in all three cases: “An ideologically based
reinterpretation of international pacts and treaties and an
over-exaggeration of the role of the follow-up committees for these
treaties.” “It must be remembered that the recommendations of
these committees are non-binding, that is, they do not compel a
country; and yet the strategy of the CFR is, with the support of other
human rights organizations, to intimidate countries and to make them
think that they are not fulfilling binding international agreements,”
Polo added.
“In this way,
when a state acquiesces to the pressure, it establishes a series of
‘agreements’ that mean acceptance of the practice of abortion, and it
establishes precedent for future cases,” Polo continued.
In the case of
Paulina Ramirez in Mexico, the CFR and its allies sued the Mexican
state of Baja California “for preventing her access to abortion since,
according to the plaintiffs, the birth of the child—who ironically is
being lovingly today raised by Paulina—violated her sexual integrity.”
The state of
Baja California finally agreed to pay reparations to Paulina and said
it would not allow “cases like Paulina to happen again in the state.”
Pro-life groups
are working to determine what the state of Baja California has
committed to and whether it would be in violation of Mexican law, which
does not recognize the “right” to abortion in cases of rape. “The
strategy consists in insisting that this is about ‘the violation of the
mother’s human rights’ without mentioning the rights of the child,”
Polo explained.
According to
Polo, “CFR has no interest in understanding or respecting the legal
framework that protects life as a tradition and as a conviction.
What we have here is a subversion of the legal order cooked up and
planned in an office in New York,” he added.
Polo said if
anti-life groups were truly concerned about maternal mortality, “they
would focus their efforts on the main cause, which is poorly-attended
births, which account for more than three-fourths of maternal deaths in
Latin America. It’s their ideological objectives that make them
focus on abortion, which is the cause of only six percent of such
deaths.”
Expert warns of new strategy to promote abortion in Latin America
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