| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | August 2008 
Mexico's Top Court Refuses to Reverse Capital's Abortion Law
 Agence France-Presse
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| | A pro-choice protester argues with an anti-abortion preacher during demonstrations near Mexico City's local legislature during the debate to decriminalize abortion up to 12 weeks of gestation, April 24, 2007. (Reuters/Daniel Aguilar) | | |
Mexico City - Mexico's supreme court on Thursday rejected a bid to reverse a law which allows abortions in the country's capital, with the support of eight out of 11 judges.
Mexico City's left-wing government last April legalized abortion for women who are up to 12 weeks pregnant.
The conservative federal government had challenged the law, backed by anti-abortion groups and the Church.
After three days of debating the issue, a majority of judges rejected their claim that the law was unconstitutional.
"In all nations that have discussed abortion in constitutional courts there is a before and an afterwards," said Guillermo Ortiz Mayagoitia, president of the court.
"In Mexico, the afterwards is (now) beginning, the legal and social impact of this decision are undeniable."
Eight votes out of the 11 supreme court judges would have been necessary to abolish the law.
Since it was applied on April 27, 2007, some 12,000 women aged between 18 and 29 have had abortions in one of 12 clinics in the capital.
Between 1990 and 2005, an average of 13 women died per year due to clandestine abortions in Mexico City, according to pro-abortion groups. The ultra-conservative Provida organization said eight women had died per year.
Since last April only one 16-year-old has died during an abortion, due to her doctor being misinformed about the length of her pregnancy.
In the rest of Mexico, states allow abortions only under limited circumstances, such as rape and incest, but rights groups say that in practice such abortions are difficult to obtain. |
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