Lorena Quintanathe party’s vice presidential candidate Open Town Hall (CA)has established himself as a key figure within the political space led by Guido Manini Ríos.
With an openly conservative speechQuintana does not shy away from controversial positions, such as his ironclad opposition to abortion in any circumstanceeven in cases of rape. In a recent interview, the doctor by profession explained the reasons behind her convictions and how they shape her political proposals for the future of Uruguay.
Against the right to abortion: Quintana’s position is that of Cabildo Abierto
One of the most notable points of Quintana’s thought is his position on abortion, a topic that continues to be the subject of debate in Uruguay. Quintana has been explicit in her total rejection of Law 18,987, which legalized abortion in the country in 2012.
In her own words, the candidate considers that “the first right that a person has, inalienable to human beings, is to live,” a principle that guides her rejection of the interruption of pregnancy, regardless of the circumstances. This includes your opposition to the legalization of abortion in cases of rapearguing that “the child is not to blame for what happened.”
The right to abortion is “alarming,” says Quintana
For Quintana, current data on the number of abortions performed legally in Uruguay, around 11,000 annually, are alarming. On his social networks, he even stated that since legalization more than 100,000 abortions have been performed, which represents,
In his vision, 100,000 children who “did not have the right to live.” This stance has generated strong reactions, but she remains firm, saying that “nothing makes me back away from my principle.” In his opinion, current legislation has opened the door to decisions that, according to his Christian vision, should be unthinkable.
Against policies with a gender perspective and real equality
Quintana has also positioned herself against gender policies and sexual education with a gender perspective. For the candidate, these policies lack a scientific basis, and she harshly criticizes the notion that gender is a social construction. “Science says that since you are in your mother’s womb, you are a man or a woman, it is not a question of what you feel,” he said in the interview.
This approach has led her to question current educational policies and promote sexual education that, in her opinion, is based on “science and not ideology.”
From his role in the Ministry of Public Health, Quintana proposed the creation of the Family Secretariat within Cabildo Abierto, an initiative that seeks to strengthen “the values of traditional family members,” understanding the model as a provider father and patriarch, a mother in a position of raising children and the home, and heteronormative children, as a way to prevent social problems.
For her, this classic and conservative family model is the basis of a healthy society, and she believes that many of the difficulties faced by adolescents in Uruguay could be addressed by strengthening family units.
The influence of his Christian training that defines his political position
Quintana comes from a deeply conservative family, influenced by the political legacy of former president Jorge Pacheco Areco. Although she recognizes that traditional conservative parties have changed over time, she finds in Cabildo Abierto a platform that supports her firmest, nostalgic beliefs of yesteryear.
Since his childhood, Christian values have been a pillar in his lifeand these same values are what, he assures, guide his personal and political life. Its grouping within CA, National Christian Meetingreflects this vision, focused on the defense of Christian principles, such as the protection of life from conception to natural death.
One of the most controversial points of his speech is his rejection of both abortion and euthanasiawhich she sees as two sides of the same coin: “the contempt for life,” she believes.
In his view, countries that have legalized euthanasia have initially done so under the pretext of extreme situations, such as terminal illnesses, but have later expanded the law to less serious cases, such as depression. This, Quintana warns, could be especially dangerous in a country like Uruguay, with high suicide rates.
A direct attack on the Gender Violence Law
Another of Quintana’s workhorses is Law 19,580 on gender violence, which he describes as “unfair and discriminatory.” According to their analysis, this regulation places men at a disadvantage, where they are presumed guilty from the first moment, regardless of the evidence they present in their defense.
For her, this law facilitates false complaints, which, she claims, are much more common than is believed. “I have met with lawyers who tell me that they are not minimal at all, they are many more than we imagine,” he said during the interview.
Quintana maintains that domestic violence is a serious problem in Uruguay, but that the Gender Violence Law is not the appropriate solution. In their opinion, the current regulations do not address the root of the problem and, instead, perpetuate a distorted view of power relations between men and women.
