Guatemala City, Guatemala, Feb 7, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The Supreme Court of Guatemala has placed a new law on family planning under provisional suspension, at the request of the country’s president, Oscar Berger. The law caused widespread controversy in Guatemala, as it would have opened the door to legalized abortion.
Berger filed for an injunction after Congress overrode his veto and approved the new law, together with another measure that sets pension rates for the elderly at around $50 a month. The Court suspended both laws and said it would study the measures after receiving a report from Congress.
Speaking to local reporters, government spokesman Rosa Maria de Frade said the administration hopes to obtain a permanent injunction from the Court but that if not, it would seek out other legal measures to block the laws.