The Deacon's Bench
Encouraging news from the pope’s homeland:
Argentina’s Senate on Thursday narrowly rejected a bill to legalize abortion, dealing a stinging defeat to a grass-roots movement that pushed reproductive rights to the top of the country’s legislative agenda and galvanized women’s groups throughout Latin America.
The lead-up to the vote gripped the nation as opposing camps fought to sway undecided senators until the final hours. As senators debated the bill for more than 16 hours, thousands of advocates on both sides gathered outside Congress, and the Roman Catholic Church held a “Mass for Life” at the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral.
Proponents of the bill — which would have allowed abortions during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy — had hoped Argentina would begin a sea change in reproductive rights in a largely Catholic region where 97 percent of women live in countries that ban abortion or allow it only in rare instances.
Thirty-eight lawmakers voted against the bill, 31 voted in favor of it and two abstained.
Just weeks ago, the abortion-rights campaigners appeared to have a good chance of success, stunning opponents. But opposition hardened as Catholic Church leaders spoke out forcefully against abortion from the pulpit and senators from conservative provinces came under intense pressure to stand against the bill.
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