Chilean Government Reactivates Debate on Legal Abortion
Amid uncertainty over reproductive rights
The announcement of the bill to legalize abortion up to 12 weeks has revived the debate in Chilean society.
HAVANA TIMES – In a significant move for reproductive rights in Chile, the government announced it will present a bill to Congress to decriminalize abortion up to 12 weeks of gestation. This initiative, promised by President Gabriel Boric in his 2024 state of the nation address, seeks to expand access to voluntary termination of pregnancy beyond the three currently permitted grounds: risk to the mother’s life, non-viable fetus, and pregnancy resulting from rape.
Minister of Women and Gender Equity Antonia Orellana confirmed that the bill will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies in the coming days. Orellana noted that after a year of work aimed at improving the implementation of the existing three grounds abortion law, it is now time to open up debate on legal abortion within defined time limits.
This announcement is the latest chapter in a debate that has progressed slowly in Chile. For over 60 years, therapeutic abortion was legal under the country’s 1931 Health Code, until it was completely banned in 1989 during the final days of the Pinochet dictatorship. It wasn’t until 2017, during Michelle Bachelet’s second term, that the current law on three grounds was approved. Later, a bill to decriminalize abortion up to 14 weeks was rejected in 2022, during Boric’s first year in office.
Chile’s debate is part of a broader international context. In Latin America, Argentina legalized abortion in 2020, and Mexico decriminalized it federally in 2023. In contrast, countries like El Salvador and Nicaragua maintain total bans. In Europe, France made history in 2024 by enshrining the right to abortion in its Constitution. In the United States, however, the landscape has become fragmented after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion access up to individual states.
In this renewed attempt to advance broader legislation, the Chilean government faces a polarized landscape. What is at stake is not only access to a medical procedure but also the political definition of how much freedom to choose is valued.
Political Reactions
The announcement has triggered varied reactions across the political spectrum. The ruling coalition has supported the initiative, viewing it as progress for women’s rights and a fulfilled promise by President Boric. Deputy Helia Molina (PPD) said, “It’s tremendous news for the country that we are starting work on a legal abortion law,” highlighting that “the vast majority of countries around the world have legalized abortion.”
Deputy Lorena Fries (FA) noted that the announcement “gives us a task ahead, which is to debate with a high level of vision,” while Deputy Daniella Cicardini (PS) emphasized, “The government is delivering, and now we hope Congress is up to the task by holding a serious, respectful, and prejudice-free debate.”
From civil society, feminist and human rights organizations celebrated the announcement as a step toward women’s reproductive autonomy. Camila Maturana of the Humanas Corporation stated, “This announcement by President Boric places women’s rights at the center of political discussion.”
However, the opposition has expressed its rejection of the bill, arguing that it does not address the country’s priorities and seeks to distract from other pressing issues. Deputy Roberto Arroyo (PSC) said, “The government is legislating outside the priorities of the people,” and that “Chile rejects the culture of death and any government that promotes it.”
Deputy Eduardo Durán (RN) questioned the initiative, stating, “With the streets overtaken by crime, hospitals in crisis, and thousands of children out of school, the government chooses to prioritize the debate on free abortion.”
Independent-DC Deputy Karen Medina criticized Minister Orellana for prioritizing free abortion over urgent care for women victims of violence, saying, “You don’t have our support, Minister. This is not an urgent need, and frankly, the country doesn’t want this idea.”
Presidential candidate for Chile Vamos, Evelyn Matthei, also voiced opposition, stating, “Abortion has nothing to do with women’s rights,” and that “this is pure ideology; it has nothing to do with what women actually need.”
The Catholic Church has reiterated its opposition to the bill. The Standing Committee of the Chilean Episcopal Conference issued a statement saying, “We deeply regret these initiatives, which go against the sacred and inviolable value of human life.”
Cardinal Fernando Chomali called the promotion of abortion “a mistake” and “a failure of society,” asserting that “abortion eliminates an innocent human being” and that “the solution is support, care, and medical attention.”
The presentation of the legal abortion bill in Chile represents a major step in the country’s sexual and reproductive rights agenda, but the legislative path ahead will be challenging. While sectors of the ruling coalition celebrate the fulfillment of a campaign promise and an advance in women’s rights, others consider the debate artificial and worry it may further polarize the country.
Internationally, the advancement or regression of reproductive rights remains a key indicator of nations’ commitment to gender equality and human rights.