Pro-life experts ask Obama not to push abortion in Latin America

Santiago, Chile, Mar 5, 2009 / 15:34 pm

The Latin American Post-Abortion Care Network has sent an open letter to President Barack Obama asking him to reverse his efforts to fund abortion in the region.

In response to the reversal of the Mexico City Policy, the Network, which provides pastoral care to those who have undergone abortions, explained that in “Latin America, we believe in the self-determination of nations, a basic principle of international law, and we believe in the absolute respect for human life as the basis for all other human rights.”

“Therefore, we appeal to common sense to not interfere by providing resources to groups identified with feminist trends that radically promote abortion as a form of birth control.”

“We call for abortion practices not to be pushed on our countries in Latin America, under the guise of so-called reproductive rights and we consider it to be incoherent to describe as a right a false solution that causes so much harm as described by the women who come to us for post-abortion help,” the Network stated.

The Network urged President Obama to reject any policy that would discriminate against people because of their young age or because they are in the womb of their mothers.

It also called for efforts to reduce poverty by providing "comprehensive care to women, to help them have their children and not harm them through abortion, maintaining a spirit of respect for human rights. Abortion always causes harm.”