By Margaret Janelle R. Hutchinson
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay – Late last month Uruguay’s Lower House contemplated and passed legislation that would give women the right to an elective abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and decriminalize later-term abortions when the mother’s life is at risk or when the fetus is so deformed that it wouldn’t survive after birth.  Wednesday that bill also narrowly passed in the Senate, by a vote of 17 to 14.

President José Mujica has openly supported the legislation. Alberto Breccia, a top aide to Mr. Mujica, said Wednesday that the president had no plans to veto the bill, almost ensuring that it would become law by early November.

If it does become law, it would be the second of its kind in South America; Guyana allows elective abortion up until the 8th week of pregnancy.

Uruguay is already considered one of the most liberal countries in South America.  It was the first nation to officially separate the state from the Catholic Church in the early 1900’s and President Mujica has also discussed the possibility of legalizing marijuana in the tiny country.

Uruguay may be geographically small, but pro-choice advocates hope this potential law will make a big impact on neighboring nations.  Although there have been many advances in terms of sexual rights in South America – most notably with Brazil and Argentina legalizing same-sex unions in 2004 and 2010, respectively – abortion is extremely divisive.

Just last week the Argentinian Supreme Court issued a ruling granting an abortion to a women rescued from a prostitution ring.  Even though Argentina allows abortion in the case of rape, a lower court judge had blocked the procedure claiming there was no proof of rape.

Véronica Pérez, a political scientist at Montevideo’s University of the Republic says,

“In terms of the reactions and conflicts [abortion and same-sex marriage] provoke in society,” pushing same-sex unions isn’t the same as advocating the legalization of abortion. For same-sex marriage or gay adoption, for some men it’s like ‘that’s OK, I don’t like it much but it doesn’t affect my rights.’ On the other hand, a woman’s decision to interrupt her pregnancy strikes at the core of masculine decision-influencing power.”

Chile, considered the most conservative country in the region, outright bans abortion even in the case of rape.  Chile only legalized divorce in 2004.

This week’s vote was the third time the bill has been introduced in the Uruguayan Parliament and the Senate’s final vote tally of 17 in favor and 14 against shows how divisive the issue remains. A previous bill was approved in 2008, but then-President Tabaré Vázquez vetoed it.

For further information, please see:

The Christian Science Monitor – Uruguay’s Senate approves abortion bill: Will there be a ripple effect? – 19 October 2012

TIMEWorld – Uruguay Diverges From a Continent Where Abortion is Worse Than Rape – 19 October 2012

BBC News – Uruguay legalises abortion – 17 October 2012

The New York Times – Uruguay Senate Approves First-Trimester Abortions – 17 October 2012

The Wall Street Journal – Uruguay Senate Legalizes Abortion – 17 October 2012