The state of Baja California, in northwestern Mexico, this Friday became the fifth entity in the country in decriminalize abortion until the 12th week of pregnancy, after the local Congress approved a reform to the state penal code.
The state parliament endorsed modifying, among others, article 136 of the regulation that now establishes that Abortion will not be prosecuted when it has been carried out “by the free decision of the woman or pregnant person” within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy., according to a video of the session released by the social networks of the Congress.
The assembly, however, did not reach the required vote to modify the seventh article of the political constitution of Baja California that specifies the protection of the right to life from conception.
State reform occurs after the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico declared in september unconstitutional punish abortion, in a historic ruling that opened the door for women from all over the country to access this procedure.
The judgment of the highest court, approved unanimously by the 10 magistrates present, was directed against articles of the penal code of the state of Coahuila (North), but it served to establish jurisprudence, that is, judges throughout the country must apply the criteria established by this ruling.
Mexico, where 77% of the population is Catholic, is a federated country where the states are autonomous to enact their laws, but these are invalidated, through amparos, when they contravene the rulings of the Supreme court that they feel jurisprudence.
Through an appeal women residing in other Mexican states where abortion is criminalized they can access it by order of a judge.
Four other Mexican entities have already decriminalized this procedure.
Mexico City it was approved, up to 12 weeks, in 2007 and it is performed free of charge in the mayoral clinics regardless of whether the women live in other districts.
Oaxaca (south), Veracruz (east) e gentleman (center) are other states that have decriminalized abortion up to 12 weeks.
