BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Argentinasa国际传媒 groundbreaking abortion law went into force Sunday under the watchful eyes of womensa国际传媒 groups and government officials, who hope to ensure its full implementation despite opposition from some conservative and church groups.
Argentina became the largest nation in Latin America to legalize elective abortion after its Senate on Dec. 30 passed a law guaranteeing the procedure up to the 14th week of pregnancy and beyond that in cases of rape or when a womansa国际传媒 health is at risk.
The vote was hailed as a triumph for the South American countrysa国际传媒 feminist movement that could pave the way for similar actions across the socially conservative, heavily Roman Catholic region.
But Pope Francis had issued a last-minute appeal before the vote and church leaders have criticized the decision. Supporters of the law say they expect lawsuits from anti-abortion groups in Argentinasa国际传媒 conservative provinces and some private health clinics might refuse to carry out the procedure.
鈥淎nother huge task lies ahead of us,鈥 said Argentinasa国际传媒 minister of women, gender and diversity, Elizabeth G贸mez Alcorta, who has acknowledged there will be obstacles to the lawsa国际传媒 full implementation across the country.
G贸mez Alcorta said a telephone line will be set up 鈥渇or those who cannot access abortion to communicate.鈥
The Argentine Catholic Church has repudiated the law and conservative doctors' and lawyers' groups have urged resistance. Doctors and health professionals can claim conscientious objection to performing abortions, but cannot invoke the right if a pregnant womansa国际传媒 life or health is in danger.
A statement signed by the Consortium of Catholic Doctors, the Catholic Lawyers Corporation and other groups called on doctors and lawyers to 鈥渞esist with nobility, firmness and courage the norm that legalizes the abominable crime of abortion."
The anti-abortion group Unidad Provida also urged doctors, nurses and technicians to fight for their 鈥渇reedom of conscience鈥 and promised to "accompany them in all the trials that are necessary.鈥
Under the law, private health centres that do not have doctors willing to carry out abortions must refer women seeking abortions to clinics that will. Any public official or health authority who unjustifiably delays an abortion will be punished with imprisonment from three months to one year.
The National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion, an umbrella group for organizations that for years fought for legal abortion, often wearing green scarves at protests, vowed to 鈥渃ontinue monitoring compliance with the law.鈥
鈥淲e trust the feminist networks that we have built over decades,鈥 said Laura Salom茅, one of the movementsa国际传媒 members.
A previous abortion bill was voted down by Argentine lawmakers in 2018 by a narrow margin. But in the December vote it was backed by the centre-left government, boosted by the so-called 鈥減iba鈥 revolution, from the Argentine slang for 鈥済irls,鈥 and opinion polls showing opposition had softened.
The lawsa国际传媒 supporters expect backlash in Argentinasa国际传媒 conservative provinces. In the northern province of Salta, a federal judge this week rejected a measure filed by a former legislator calling for the law to be suspended because the legislative branch had exceeded its powers. Opponents of abortion cite international treaties signed by Argentina pledging to protect life from conception.
G贸mez Alcorta said criminal charges currently pending against more than 1,500 women and doctors who performed abortions should be lifted. She said the number of women and doctors detained 鈥渨as not that many,鈥 but didn鈥檛 provide a number.
鈥淭he Ministry of Women is going to carry out its leadership鈥 to end these cases, she said.
Tamara Grinberg, 32, who had a clandestine abortion in 2012, celebrated that from now on 鈥渁 girl can go to a hospital to say 鈥業 want to have an abortion.'鈥
She said when she had her abortion, very few people helped her. 鈥淭oday there are many more support networks ... and the decision is respected. When I did it, no one respected my decision."
While abortion is already allowed in some other parts of Latin America 鈥 such as in Uruguay, Cuba and Mexico City 鈥 its legalization in Argentina is expected to reverberate across the region, where dangerous clandestine procedures remain the norm a half century after a womansa国际传媒 right to choose was guaranteed in the U.S.
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AP journalists V铆ctor Caivano and Y茅sica Brumec contributed to this report.
