The Quintana Roo Congress modified several articles of the local penal code to allow the termination of pregnancy within the first 12 weeks without any criminal liability on Wednesday. The amendment, which was promoted by the ruling Morena party, was approved with 19 votes in favor, three against, and four abstentions.
Quintana Roo is the tenth state to enact similar legislation, following the lead of a Supreme Court decision in September 2021 that ruled that criminal prosecution of abortion was unconstitutional.
“Today, the call of Quintana Roo’s citizens has been answered, to guarantee sexual and reproductive rights,” said Morena congressman Humberto Aldana Navarro after the vote.
When the legislation was announced, the Feminist Network of Quintana Roo stated on Twitter: “The struggle is bearing fruit. We will insist on abortion being not only legal, but also safe and free.”
En #QuintanaRoo ¡YA ES LEY!
La lucha tiene frutos.
Insistiremos en que el aborto no solo sea legal, sino también SEGURO Y GRATUITO.
Trabajaremos para lograr EDUCACIÓN INTEGRAL DE LA SEXUALIDAD.
HAY MUCHO POR LUCHAR, PERO POR HOY FESTEJEMOS ESTE LOGRO!#AbortoLegalQRoo. pic.twitter.com/lQwq1kDWNs— Red Feminista Quintanarroense (@RedFeministaQR) October 26, 2022
At the same time, pro-life groups held protests outside the local congressional building.
The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) said that this decision helps “reduce stigmatization experienced by those who request the termination of a pregnancy, thereby recognizing women’s rights to reproductive autonomy.”
Abortion is still regulated at a state level, and the nine other states that have modified their penal codes to comply with the court’s ruling include: Mexico City, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Veracruz, Coahuila, Colima, Baja California, Sinaloa, Guerrero, and Baja California Sur.
With reports from Milenio, La Jornada Maya and Proceso.
