Women March Across Latin America Over Right To Abortion

Thousands of women in Argentina, Mexico, Peru, and other cities across Latin America marched on Thursday to defend their right to abortion.

In Mexico, thousands of women marched to celebrate Mexico's decision to decriminalize abortions at the federal level. While Argentina marchers feared that the next presidential election would take away their right to abortion.

General elections in Argentina are scheduled to be held on Oct. 22. Abortion was legalized in the country three years back as previously, abortion was legal only in rape cases or if a woman's life is at risk.

In the wake of celebrating International Safe Abortion Day on Thursday, thousands of women marched through the Buenos Aires city center to the president's office and parliament.

Other Latin American countries also witnessed similar marches. Thousands of women with green smoke, green outfits, and green handkerchiefs were seen on the streets. Many women had signs in their hands that read, "It's my decision" and "Free and safe abortions for everyone."

A 47-year-old psychologist named Martha Gazzano, who was marching with her 15-year-old daughter, said that all the women "gathered to defend women's rights because we fear a setback depending on the outcome of the elections," Times Malta reported.

Abortion is legal in only a few countries - Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Uruguay - across Latin America. Whereas, countries like Peru don't allow abortion even in rape cases.

Hundreds of women stepped out on Thursday to march to the Palace of Justice in Lima and demanded that abortion should be made legal in the country.

Leader of a women's advocacy group called Flora Tristan, Liz Melendez said "Women are forced to go through with pregnancies that are the result of an odious crime." Similar rallies in Chile, where women are allowed to get abortions in case of rape or life risk, urged the government to decriminalize abortion.

A 54-year-old gynecologist and obstetrician, Pedro Gutierrez, revealed that he deals with "patients who end their pregnancies in dangerous conditions and many end up with serious consequences."

Considering presidential candidate Milei's comments on abortion, he said last month in an interview that people supporting abortion rights are "people brainwashed by a homicidal policy," Buenos Aires Herald reported.

"How can it be possible that killing another human being is an earned right?" he questioned. "I am against [abortion law] because it goes against the right to life."