Politics
Bolsonaro blasts Colombian Supreme Court abortion decision
"May God watch over the innocent lives of Colombian children, who are now subject to state sanctioned violence in their mothers’ womb," the conservative president said
February 23, 2022 10:40am
Updated: March 4, 2022 2:13pm
Brazil’s conservative President Jair Bolsonaro blasted the Colombian Supreme Court on Tuesday for passing an historic measure that effectively decriminalizes abortion up to 24 weeks – stopping just short of eliminating the act from the Penal Code in a 5-4 vote.
"May God watch over the innocent lives of Colombian children, who are now subject to state sanctioned violence in their mothers’ womb up to the sixth month of gestation, without the slightest possibility of defense,” Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter.
- Que Deus olhe pelas vidas inocentes das crianças colombianas, agora sujeitas a serem ceifadas com anuência do Estado no ventre de suas mães até o 6° mês de gestação, sem a menor chance de defesa. No que depender de mim, lutarei até o fim para proteger a vida de nossas crianças!
— Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) February 22, 2022
“As far as I’m concerned, I will fight to protect the lives of our children until the very end,” the conservative leader added. Currently, abortion is only legal in Brazil if the mother’s life is at risk or if the pregnancy is the result of rape.
The decision of the Colombian Constitutional Court was handed down on Monday and authorizes the voluntary interruption of pregnancy up to 24 weeks, although it does not eliminate the criminalization of abortion in the country's Penal Code.
Previously, a woman could only obtain an abortion in the South American country in cases where there is fetal malformation, in cases of sexual abuse and when the mother’s health is in danger.
Earlier this week, Taliana Vargas, who was crowned Miss Colombia 2007 and placed 1st Runner-Up at Miss Universe 2008, sparked an online controversy when she published a video to social media opposing the Colombian Supreme Court’s decision to legalize abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation.
The actress and mother of two posted pictures in which she appeared pregnant and wrote, “24 weeks pregnant. Six months with a baby inside me.”
“Let’s not let the fight for women’s rights tarnish our reasoning or our humanity,” she added in a message to her 3 million followers.
