Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dec 21, 2019 / 00:00 am
Leaders of the Argentine bishops' conference met with Argentina's president Dec. 18, to express their opposition to new abortion protocols in the country.
"We were surprised by the presentation of the protocol on abortion as one of the first acts of the new government. This way of acting pains and concerns us, which avoids reasonable democratic debate on the protection of life, the first human right," the bishops said in a statement.
Their visit came after the administration of Argentine president Alberto Fernández, who took office last week, updated the country's abortion protocol to guarantee access to abortion to women who have been raped.
Argentine law allows abortion in cases when the mother's life or health is in danger, or in cases of rape. But pro-choice activists maintain that it has not in fact been accessible because of hospitals' discretion and conscientious objection.