Buenos Aires Mayor Urged to Veto Abortion Law
Religious and pro-life leaders in Argentina are pleading with the mayor of Buenos Aires to keep his word and veto a newly passed law that legalizes abortion.
Mauricio Macri, Mayor of Buenos Aries, had previously stated that he would veto the law in question because it allows minors under the age of 14 who were raped to obtain an abortion without parental consent at any time during the pregnancy.
In an statement published on Oct. 1 Ines Franck, member of the local Committee on Bioethics, insisted that Macri use his power as mayor and stand firm on his on his own beliefs to help protect the lives of the unborn. He detailed in the letter that should Marci ignore the pleas for action she would be deliberately ignoring those who elected him to office.
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"Not only would he thus be fulfilling an unavoidable duty of justice … but also he would be respecting the ethical and moral convictions of the majority who those who voted for him in the capital city," Franck said according to IOLNews.
The Buenos Aires law was passed on Sept. 28 by a very thin margin of 30-29.
Buenos Aires approved the law, which allows unrestricted abortions in cases of rape or when the mother's life is in danger. The city's legislature passed the measure with the help of allies of President Cristina Kirchner, who overcame strong opposition led by Macri- some say he could contend for the presidency in 2015.
The new law, which covers only Buenos Aires, makes illegal "medical, bureaucratic or judicial obstacles" to abortions in cases of rape or danger to the mother, according to CNA.
There have been other attempts by abortion supporters to pass legislation legalizing abortion for the entire country, but those efforts which have been opposed both by president Kirchner as well as the Catholic Church have failed.
