Argentina will not be going the way of Ireland on abortion. After a hard-fought battle, the bill to legalize killing unborn children in the Latin paradise suffered a narrow defeat in the Senate on Wednesday, halting the momentum of the country’s pro-choice movement.
The bill that would have allowed abortion for up to 14 weeks of pregnancy failed by a vote of 38-31 with two lawmakers abstaining, LifeNews reports. It passed the lower house this past June and would have also forced Catholic hospitals to perform abortions.
Current laws allow for the practice only in cases of rape, severe disabilities, or threats to the mother’s life.
The movement stemmed from Ireland’s decision to legalize abortion by way of referendum earlier this year. Medical doctors opposed the measure nationwide. More from LifeNews:
Doctors all across Argentina were fighting against the pro-abortion bill that could punish them for refusing to abort unborn babies. Hundreds of doctors recently protested the legislation after it passed the lower house in June.
About 300 hospitals and medical groups across the country announced their opposition to the legislation, in part, because of a lack of conscience protections. According to the report, private hospitals would not be allowed to opt out of aborting unborn babies under the bill.
During the protest, many doctors held signs with the message, “I’m a doctor, not a murderer.” Some said they would rather go to jail than kill unborn babies in abortions.
Pro-lifers have celebrated the victory. Ally Bowlin, International Programs Director for Students for Life, said Argentina made a wise choice by not following the rest of the world in the destructive practice.
“Argentina made the right decision in voting against expanding abortion in the country, and voting to remain a pro-life country,” said Bowlin. “In the United States, we have seen the effects of abortion on women, men, and families, and we strongly support all countries that realize the disastrous effects of abortion.
“Abortion does not help women, it harms them, and the Argentina senators who voted against legalizing abortion should be applauded for their courage in standing up to the abortion lobby.”
As was the case in Ireland, the international community, spear-headed by Human Rights Watch, put tremendous pressure on the Latin country to liberalize its abortion laws. Leading up to the vote, protests from pro-choicers were at times vicious and distasteful.
Most recently, activists stripped down naked before desecrating statues of the Virgin Mary and Pope Francis during a stage performance. The offensive act was preceded by the release of an online video game allowing players to murder priests, pro-life activists, and a giant unborn baby in “Doom”-style fashion.