Jorge Sabag of the Christian Democratic Party, an opposition group, said he appreciated the organizations that work to accompany women who are going through a crisis pregnancy.
Ignacio Urrutia of the Republican Party, allied with the governing coalition, stated that all members of his party and its presidential candidate, José Antonio Kast, are committed and publicly defend the life of the unborn.
Urrutia addressed his fellow lawmakers and criticized the cynicism and hypocrisy of those who went to Te Deum services commemorating national independence only to "seek citizens’ votes."
Camila Flores of National Renewal noted that in Chile there are no women imprisoned for having an abortion.
The Minister of Women and Gender Equity, Mónica Zalaquett, said that since the abortion law went into effect in 2017 until June 2021, there were 2,556 abortions on the grounds provided by law. Of these, 797 cases were due to risk to the life of the mother, 1,296 due to fetal non-viability, and 463 due to rape.
"Since the law went into effect, no woman is serving a prison sentence for having had an abortion," the minister said, noting that Chile has reduced maternal mortality. For every 100,000 live births there were 19 deaths in 2000, and 13 in 2017.
"This figure is well below that of Latin America and the Caribbean, even lower than the United States and other developed countries," she said.
According to the minister, abortion ranks third in maternal mortality between 2002 and 2015, with an average of three women dying per year. These include miscarriages, molar pregnancy, and medical abortion.
“This government will always protect life, from its conception. Unchanging over time, the government's vision is based on ethical and legal considerations and the absolute recognition of life."
"The protection of the life of the unborn is a minimum principle that our legislation must guarantee," Zalaquett concluded.