In Querétaro, a proposal to legalize abortion has been presented for the third time in the local Congress, arguing that this right should be guaranteed as a Human Rights issue. This time, the association Adax Digitales and Deputy Arturo Maximiliano García Pérez have proposed amending the Penal Code and the state health law to allow legal and safe abortions, except in cases of conscientious objection that endanger the life or health of the woman.
Mayra Dávila Alvarado, a lawyer and founder of Adax Digitales, has highlighted the importance of this initiative as a fundamental step for Querétaro. The aim is to prevent clandestine abortions and situations where women are forced to continue with a pregnancy against their will. The proposal includes penalties of 5 to 8 years in prison for those who perform forced abortions, as well as 1 to 3 years for the woman who undergoes a voluntary abortion.
The initiative also considers providing comprehensive care that includes sexual education, access to contraceptive methods, and legal abortion. It establishes that the interruption of pregnancy can be carried out before the twelfth week of gestation and guarantees a process of five natural days to carry out the procedure, with appropriate medical, psychological, and social counseling.
The legal document recognizes the right of doctors to conscientious objection, allowing them not to participate in the procedure if they wish due to personal or religious reasons. However, it stipulates that in those cases, another healthcare professional must be appointed to carry out the intervention. Additionally, further penalties are considered in cases of physical, moral, psychological, or economic violence related to abortion.
Exclusions from criminal responsibility are established, such as when the pregnancy results from a rape, there is a serious risk to the woman's health, the fetus has genetic alterations, or the abortion is the result of an accident. The importance of providing complete and truthful information to women is emphasized to ensure that their decision is informed and free from pressure.
Despite this progress in Querétaro, it is noted that since 2009 and 2010, legislation in the country has been passed protecting life from conception. Some entities in Mexico have already decriminalized abortion, but Querétaro is still in the process of debating this issue. The proposal is seen as urgent by its supporters, arguing that it is a human right that must be guaranteed.
