A new movement that brings together 46 organizations demands the Executive and Legislative Power to approve the right to legal, safe, and free abortion in Costa Rica.
“Legal Abortion Costa Rica” was born after the statements by the President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado, who indicated at the beginning of July that abortion distracts attention from the “priority” issues for the country. Contrary to this, during campaign Alvarado defended the right of women to use this technique, if necessary and as long as they meet the requirements.
In a press release sent on July 16th, the movement says that
Alvarado made invisible the historical debt of almost 50 years by not allowing access to abortion that is already guaranteed by law.”
In addition, they called for a demonstration in front of the Presidential House on August 8th, at 4:00 p.m. The conglomerate of organizations demands that the technical norm that regulates therapeutic abortion be signed immediately so that it can be practiced legally when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger. In addition, a legislative reform is sought to guarantee full access to this permitted practice according to the Criminal Code.
Ana María Rodríguez, spokeswoman for the movement, told CRHoy.com that another objective of this union is to put the issue on the table, in order to demystify this medical procedure.
Some of the groups that make up Legal Abortion Costa Rica are federations of university students, political parties such as Vamos and the Workers’ Party, youth groups of political groups, and other organizations.