Aerial view of anti-abortion activists demonstrating against the bill to legalise abortion presented by Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez outside Argentinian Congress in Buenos Aires, on November 28, 2020. 鈥� Anti-abortion demonstrators, among them from the Catholic Church, the Evangelical Church and civil organizations, organized on Saturday marches and caravans in Buenos Aires and other cities of Argentina. (Photo by Ivan PISARENKO / AFP)
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina聽 鈥� Thousands of anti-abortion protesters, many of them mobilized by Catholic or evangelical groups, demonstrated on Saturday across Argentina against a government-backed new bill to legalize abortion.
The largest group congregated in Buenos Aires before the Congress, which is expected in the coming week to begin debating legislation on a matter that has bitterly divided the traditionally Catholic South American nation.
Marchers around the country carried signs with slogans like 鈥淪ave Both Lives!鈥� and 鈥淢arch for the Unborn.鈥�
Jorge Gomez, executive director of Aciera, the Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of Argentina, called it a 鈥渟pontaneous outpouring鈥�.
Argentines who support women鈥檚 right to choose also called for people to take to the streets.
The National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion urged backers to 鈥減aint Argentina green in coming weeks鈥� 鈥� to wave green handkerchiefs as a symbol of women鈥檚 rights.
Gomez, however, said it was inappropriate for the draft legislation to be taken up amid the ongoing pandemic and at a time when 鈥淎rgentine society needs unity to solve structural problems such as poverty.鈥�
This will be the ninth time in majority-Catholic Argentina 鈥� homeland of Pope Francis 鈥� that a bill to legalize abortion has been presented in parliament.
On the last occasion, in 2018, it gained approval in the Chamber of Deputies but was rejected in the Senate.
This will be the first time such legislation originated in the country鈥檚 executive branch via a proposal from President Alberto Fernandez.
Fernandez has said the new legislation would guarantee 鈥渢hat all women have access to the right to comprehensive health care.鈥�
Under a law first passed in 1920, Argentina permits abortions only in cases of rape or danger to the life of the mother.