Guatemala increases abortion penalty, bans same-sex marriage
ABC News
Guatemalan lawmakers have greatly increased prison sentences for women who have abortions, bucking a recent trend in Latin America toward expanding access to the procedures
GUATEMALA CITY -- Guatemalan lawmakers have increased prison sentences for women who have abortions, bucking a recent trend in Latin America toward expanding access to the procedures.
As some of Latin America’s largest countries — Mexico, Argentina, Colombia — have expanded abortion access in the past two years, there remain countries where conservative religious trends continue to hold sway.
Late Tuesday — International Women’s Day — Guatemala’s Congress passed a “Protection of Life and Family” law that also targeted the LGBTQ community.
On Wednesday, which Guatemala’s Congress declared “Life and Family Day,” President Alejandro Giammattei said in a speech at the National Palace, “This event is an invitation to unite as Guatemalans to protect life from conception until natural death.”
