Pro-life advocates across the world are celebrating a major victory for unborn babies after Argentina defeated a bill Wednesday that would have legalized abortion on demand.
The Senate rejected the bill in a 38-31 vote Wednesday evening after the lower house of parliament passed it earlier this year. The bill would have legalized abortions for any reason up to 14 weeks and up to birth in limited circumstances, including rape.
EuroNews reports pro-lifers celebrated with fireworks and shouts of joy outside parliament in Buenos Aires after the vote. Many pro-lifers wore or waved baby blue bandannas, a symbol of the fight for unborn babies’ rights in the country, according to CBC.
After 16 Hours of Debate, the Senate of Argentina Voted 38 to 31 to Reject the Legalization of Abortion on Demand. The debate ended this morning at 2:45 am, the Senate rejected the legislation approved in June allowing for abortion on demand up to 14 weeks.#WeStandForLife pic.twitter.com/RG9Nk1OOid
— Life Institute (@lifeinstitute) August 9, 2018
“What this vote showed is that Argentina is still a country that represents family values,” pro-life advocate Victoria Osuna told Reuters.
Argentina is a strongly Catholic country and the birthplace of Pope Francis. Church leaders and grassroots Catholics spoke out strongly against the pro-abortion legislation, and many gathered at a Mass for life in the Buenos Aires Cathedral just prior to the Senate vote, according to The Guardian.
On the crowded streets outside parliament, some carried balloons, religious symbols and even a large sculpture of an unborn baby. Other images showed young women and men wearing blue face paint and carrying signs advocating for both unborn babies and their mothers.
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Argentina: El Senado rechaza el proyecto de ley del aborto hasta la semana 14 https://t.co/54ioL5nycw pic.twitter.com/AuXmvL8N93
— Rafael Rodriguez (@PbroRafaelRG) August 9, 2018
4 claves que explican por qué ganó el rechazo a la nueva ley del aborto en Argentina https://t.co/T7cUkhusgQ pic.twitter.com/aN5qwRYTZN
— Noticias Godiniux (@NGodiniux) August 9, 2018
Argentina’s senate stood up to international pressure & voted last night to protect both mother & child by keeping abortion illegal. 👍👍 pic.twitter.com/iQ5GOTJUO1
— Fr Matthew P. Schneider LC (@FrMatthewLC) August 9, 2018
Argentina’s Senate rejects legalizing abortion, in Pope’s homeland https://t.co/oRitnNo03N pic.twitter.com/YHmSG3ntN9
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 9, 2018
New Wave Feminists are “standing with our warrior sisters in Argentina today as their country votes on whether or not to deny human rights to the most vulnerable and marginalized human beings.” pic.twitter.com/LrOHgW4v47
— Charlie Camosy (@CCamosy) August 8, 2018
They didn’t fail! Like it or not they represented the growing #ProLife movement here. Argentinians raised their voices across all the nation to say #SálvemosLas2Vidas !Against all odds and international organization’s pressure life won. pic.twitter.com/StqPYoQ98r
— Brenda🇦🇷 (@Brend101) August 9, 2018
The World Is Watching
Argentina: WE KNOW!#SalvemosLas2Vidas @SenadoArgentina pic.twitter.com/mlnCrdiuUE
— Bulldozer_CR (@CrBulldozer) August 9, 2018
Argentina prohibits unborn babies from being aborted except in cases of rape, severe disabilities or threats to the mother’s life.
Like many South American countries, Argentina has been facing intense international pressure to legalize abortion. Organizations that receive funding from American billionaire George Soros have been pushing their abortion agenda on Argentina for years.
Abortion campaigners had hoped to springboard off their success in Ireland, but they suffered a defeat in South America. A defeat for abortion activists is a victory for the rights of unborn babies.
