Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion

Last week the justices on Mexico’s Supreme Court ordered the northern state of Coahuila to remove sanctions for abortion from its criminal code. Previously, Coahuila punished women with up to 3 years in prison for abortion, even in cases of sexual assault. Coahuila is a northern state bordering Texas, where Senate Bill 8 (SB8) took effect on September 1.

The ruling sets a precedent that would force judges across Mexico—the second-largest Roman Catholic country—to hand down similar rulings and expands early abortion access to women across its 32 states. This decision follows the historic ruling by Argentina’s Congress that legalized abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy in December 2020.

Reference

Diaz L, Gottesdiener L. Mexico’s top court decriminalizes abortion in “watershed moment.” Reuters. Published September 8, 2021. Accessed September 13, 2021. www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-supreme-court-rules-criminalizing-abortion-is-unconstitutional-2021-09-07/