(Mexico) Abortion is now decriminalized in 14 of Mexico’s 32 states, after the vote Monday by the Parliament of the state of Puebla (center), which follows two decisions by the Supreme Court.
By 29 votes in favour and 7 against, local MPs approved a reform of the local penal code that eliminates all penalties for abortions performed up to twelve weeks of gestation.
The Catholic Church had called on deputies to vote against the decriminalization of abortion in this state with a conservative reputation, even though it is governed by Mexico’s ruling left-wing party, Morena.
“The Archbishopric of Puebla expresses its energetic rejection,” said the Archbishop of Puebla, Victor Sanchez Espinosa, on Sunday.
Abortion “every time eliminates a fully human life, which violates the fundamental right to life,” he added in remarks shared in a video.
The “total criminalization” of abortion was declared “unconstitutional” by the Federal Supreme Court in September 2021.
“Criminal provisions that absolutely criminalize the right” to abortion “are contrary to the right to human dignity,” the Supreme Court repeated in September 2023.
Mexico is a federal country where each of the 32 states has its own laws, which can be invalidated by rulings of the Supreme Court.
The Federal District of the capital Mexico City was the first entity in the country to decriminalize abortion up to 12 weeks in 2007.