This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6586959.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mexico City to vote on abortion | Mexico City to vote on abortion |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Mexico City's legislative assembly is to vote on whether to legalise abortion in the city, the capital of the world's second-largest Roman Catholic country. | Mexico City's legislative assembly is to vote on whether to legalise abortion in the city, the capital of the world's second-largest Roman Catholic country. |
| If passed as expected, abortions would be limited to pregnancies in the first trimester, only in Mexico City. | If passed as expected, abortions would be limited to pregnancies in the first trimester, only in Mexico City. |
| Mexico City currently allows abortion in cases of rape, if the woman's life is at risk or if there are signs of severe defects in the foetus. | Mexico City currently allows abortion in cases of rape, if the woman's life is at risk or if there are signs of severe defects in the foetus. |
| Catholic bishops in Mexico have spoken out against the proposed law. | Catholic bishops in Mexico have spoken out against the proposed law. |
| Mexico City's legislature, which represents the city's population of 20m, is dominated by the leftist PRD, the party of the mayor, Marcelo Ebrard. | |
| He has ordered riot police to deploy around the assembly's buildings after abortion opponents promised big protests if the law is passed. | He has ordered riot police to deploy around the assembly's buildings after abortion opponents promised big protests if the law is passed. |
| Court challenge | Court challenge |
| Opinion polls in Mexico, which is 90% Catholic, indicate people are evenly split on the issue. | Opinion polls in Mexico, which is 90% Catholic, indicate people are evenly split on the issue. |
| The assembly has courted controversy in Mexico before, recently allowing same-sex civil unions. It is currently considering legalising euthanasia. | The assembly has courted controversy in Mexico before, recently allowing same-sex civil unions. It is currently considering legalising euthanasia. |
| Opponents of the abortion law have promised to challenge it in the courts if it is passed. | Opponents of the abortion law have promised to challenge it in the courts if it is passed. |
| The authors of the draft law argue that at least 1,500 women have died in Mexico over the last decade as a result of illegal abortions performed in unhygienic backstreet clinics. | The authors of the draft law argue that at least 1,500 women have died in Mexico over the last decade as a result of illegal abortions performed in unhygienic backstreet clinics. |
| Many victims of rape are denied access to legal abortion, Human Rights Watch said in a report last year. | Many victims of rape are denied access to legal abortion, Human Rights Watch said in a report last year. |