By Dave Andrusko
No two ways about it, it was a huge pro-life victory today when Colombia’s Constitutional Court dashed the hopes of pro-abortionists in Latin America by deciding against legalization the destruction of unborn life through 16 weeks.
Writing for the New York Times, a disappointed Julie Turkewitz explained
A top court in Colombia declined to legalize abortion on Monday, disappointing abortion rights supporters who had hoped the case would herald a shift in Latin America and encourage other nations in the region to liberalize their laws.
The 6-3 decision leaves abortion legal in only three situations: “when [a woman’s] life is at stake, when a fetus has serious health problems and when her pregnancy resulted from rape,” Turkewitz wrote.
President Iván Duque, praised magistrates for making “an important decision,” The Buenos Aires News reported. “I’ve always said I’m pro-life,” he said. “I think that life starts at conception.”
The case was brought by Natalia Bernal, a pro-life lawyer who asked the court to protect all unborn babies from abortion. The judges chose not to revisit the 2006 decision the nation’s highest court had rendered: “The plaintiff hasn’t submitted sufficient arguments to call into question a constitutional judgment.”
The Times’ story outlined why the decision not to expand abortion beyond three very limited categories is so important.
“If the court had ruled to legalize abortion, the decision could have rippled across Latin America,” according to Turkewitz. “Colombia, with about 50 million people, is not only among the most populous and culturally influential nations in the region, but its Constitutional Court is often considered a leader when it comes to defining individual rights.”
Amnesty International which, tragically, is an international force to erase all abortion limitations, “accused the court of turning its back on women,” The New York Times reported.
“We regret that the court has decided to continue restricting women’s sexual and reproductive rights instead of setting a positive example for the region, “said Amnesty International Americas Director Erika Guevara Rosas.
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