The lower house of Congress in Chile has approved a proposal that lifts a ban on abortion in limited circumstances. The draft was submitted by the government of president Michelle Bachelet which allows the practice of abortion when the fetus is not viable, there is a health risk for the mother, and in cases of rape.
Marco Antonio Nunez, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, said it was "incredible" that the motion was passed. Telesur TV reported that lawmaker Karol Cariola of the Communist Party called the passing of the bill "a historic day" for Chileans. Cariola also commended the government for letting women make their own decisions.
The proposal that lifts abortion ban was approved by 66 to 44 votes. The government of Chile, which evaluated the bill 14 months ago, managed to get the approval of several members of the conservative Christian Democrats. The surveys suggest that most of the people in Chile approve the change.
Chile is one of the seven Latin American nations where abortion is still illegal, says Strait Times. Other countries include Haiti, Nicaragua, Surinam, Honduras, Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. Meanwhile, Guyana, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and Cuba allowed abortions in cases other than incest, a risk to a woman's health, and rape. Mexico City has also legalized abortion during the first 12 weeks, same as Uruguay which voted narrowly to lift a ban on abortion.
According to BBC, despite being predominantly Catholic, Chile allowed the practice of abortion until 1989. However, General Augusto Pinochet banned such practice in one of the last acts of his military government.
In 2013, President Michelle Bachelet vowed to reform the abortion ban in Chile if elected for a second term. The current administration argued over a year about the abortion bill, facing stiff oppositions even from within the Chile's ruling coalition.
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