Mexico’s decision on Tuesday Supreme Court According to a NSW law that took effect last week, prohibiting punishment of individuals seeking abortion could expand the options for abortion restrictions faced by Texas women.
According to the Texas Heartbeat Act, the governor Greg Abbott Signed into law in May, Abortion is prohibited if the doctor can detect the heartbeat of the fetus, which can start within six weeks of pregnancy. It is estimated that 85% to 90% of abortions are performed after six weeks. At this time, groups that support choice say that many women have not yet realized that they are pregnant. The law includes some exceptions for people facing medical emergencies during pregnancy.
The new Texas law also allows citizens to sue medical workers who are believed to have performed abortions in violation of the new law.
Local and national reproductive rights organizations asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene before the new law went into effect on September 1, but the High Court refused to intervene. It is expected that the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing another case concerning the restriction of abortion this fall. Mississippi.
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A week after the new abortion restrictions in Texas came into effect, the Mexican Supreme Court declared that “it is unconstitutional to make abortion an absolute criminal offence” in Mexico. In the press release announcing its decision, the court cited the abortion law in Coahuila, Mexico, which borders Texas, which allows abortions to be sentenced to prison.
The press release stated that the court “made a ruling for the first time, which will help protect women and pregnant women’s right to make decisions without facing criminal consequences.”
Although the court’s decision will only have a direct impact on the people of Coahuila State, the court wrote that when making decisions in future cases, judges at the local and federal levels must bear in mind the prohibition of punishment of those seeking abortion. ban.
According to the Associated Press, the president of the court, Arturo Zaldívar (Arturo Zaldívar) stated that “from now on” judges will not be allowed to “accuse any circumstances that are determined to be valid by the court without violating the rulings of the high court. Women who have abortions”.
Many abortion advocates praised the ruling and compared it with the tightening restrictions in Texas.
Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, chairman and chief executive officer of the National Abortion Federation, said in a statement shared with others that abortion “should be legalized everywhere and everyone” . Weekly newspaper Regarding the court’s ruling in Mexico.
Lagersdale said: “It is encouraging to see the Mexican Supreme Court set a historical precedent that prioritizes the health and rights of the Mexican people in the week when we saw the U.S. Supreme Court attack abortion opportunities and complete inaction. .”
Planned Parenthood Global’s interim executive director Dawn Laguens also stated in a statement shared with others that the court’s decision was “a historic step towards the legalization of abortion” and “a victory for Coahuila activists and patients.” Weekly newspaper.
“We are relieved for the women in Coahuila, who shouldn’t have been punished for seeking reproductive freedom and medical care,” Lagens said.
Laguens’ statement ended with a nod to Coahuila’s approach to Texas.
“Coahuila is just across the border from Texas,” Lagens said. “This decision was made less than a week after the unconstitutional SB 8 law in Texas took effect, which prohibits abortion after six weeks.”
Although the specific circumstances under which the Mexican court ruling applies are unclear by Tuesday night, US media and advocates of choice are beginning to suggest that it can provide another option for women in Texas who wish to have an abortion in six weeks. . pregnant. In the days after the new Texas law came into effect, women in Texas have been seeking out-of-state abortions, and some clinics in nearby states such as Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma have reported that , There was an increase in inquiries from Texas patients last week. Associated Press.
Articles published by the Associated Press and Reuters about the Mexican Supreme Court’s ruling on Tuesday indicate that Texas women who cannot legally undergo abortions under the state’s new laws may begin to seek more abortions in Mexico.
Paula Avila-Gillen, executive director of the Center for Women’s Equality, also questioned the potential impact of the decision on American women. Avila Gillen said in a statement on Tuesday that the Mexican Supreme Court’s decision “raised a question: Women in Texas will soon have a safe and legal abortion opportunity. Will they go to Mexico?”
