Mexico's senate considers legalizing abortion across nation

Via AP/San Diego Union-Tribune:

Senators from Mexico's largest leftist party on Tuesday sent a bill proposing to legalize abortion across the entire country, a measure that is stridently opposed by the nation's conservative and Roman Catholic leaders.

Under the bill filed by the Democratic Revolution Party or PRD, the second largest force in Congress, women would be able to have an abortion within the first three months of pregnancy. The bill also proposes that government health clinics provide women with the abortions if they require them.

“We need to stop thousands of women from dying in unsafe operations,” said Sen. Carlos Navarette who heads the PRD in the upper house. “This is a right our laws should guarantee.”

Under current Mexican law, abortion is only permitted if the pregnancy endangers a woman's life or if the woman has been raped.

President Felipe Calderón, however, has stated his opposition to the legislation. Mexico City is also considering legislation that would liberalize abortion laws locally: see Mexico City Debates Abortion Measure.

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