MONTERREY (Mexico) — It looks just like a roof terrace on a Monterrey house in Nuevo Leon in Mexico, which is two hours away from the U.S. border.
It is a small space with a bathroom and kitchen called La Aborteria or the abortion place. This has become a refuge for pregnant women from both Mexico and the United States who want to end their pregnancy by using medication.
In an interview with Noticias Telemundo, Vanessa Jimenez Rubalcava stated that abortion must be discussed as a responsible choice. “Abortion should be a loving, safe decision. It is also a straightforward medical procedure.
The center employs 17 people to assist with medically induced abortions of approximately 500 women each month. It is part of the Necesito Abortar Mexico network, or I Need to Abort Mexico. This project was created six years ago to help people who are in need of guidance about abortion.
Ileana Sandoval, who was part of the project’s first two procedures and now has support from the network, said that “it’s about providing all economic, emotional, and economic tools so women can experience an abortion in dignity.”
This counseling space is the first to be created in Mexico for such purposes. It’s located in Nuevo Leon, which paradoxically is a state in which abortion is still a crime despite the fact the Supreme Court of Mexico declaring that it is unconstitutional to criminalize anyone who has undergone the procedure.
Sandra Cardona, who is a member of this network, said that they follow the protocols set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Mexican Ministry of Health. “We use misoprostol and mifepristone as directed by both institutions in pregnancy cases that are in week 12-14, and then to keep it safe. These women are accompanied by us, both in person and via WhatsApp or text messages.
Jimenez Rubalcava and Cardona said that groups and abortion providers in Mexico noticed an increase in people contacting them from America even before Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Jimenez Rubalcava stated that he used to only speak to two to three Americans per year. But, since March, they have written at least seven to ten times a week. It’s a new world and we believe that the demand can grow.
A network of volunteers made up of people from Mexico and the United States said that they are available to answer any questions about abortions in the United States. These organizations have served approximately 1,700 Americans so far this year, according to their calculations.
To meet the increased demand for information and abortion medication following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision, they have formed cross-border alliances with drug banks in different regions of the U.S.
Clinics near Mexico’s border expect a dramatic rise in patient numbers. A Texas law has banned abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. Before that, they were permitted up to week 20.
Cardona stated, “We are here; They are not alone.” “No one should be forgotten, and women should have equal rights. This is exactly what they are doing in the United States. There is no second-class woman. It is impossible to believe that Mexico has these advancements and they have gone backwards.
Mexico’s Supreme Court has ruled that underage girls can have an abortion without consent from their parents if they have been raped. The ninth of 32 federal entities in Mexico, Guerrero, voted to legalize abortions.
Profem, which is a medical organization that assists with legal termination of pregnancy in Mexico, claims that 25% of its clients are from the U.S. People who come from the U.S. to Monterrey can buy abortion pills that range in price from $20 to $150. However, at La Aborteria, they are free.
Mexican activists claim that nearly all people seeking assistance use social networks to reach them. Many of these women are also more than six weeks pregnant. They also often fear what legal consequences might await them when they return home to the United States.
Jimenez Rubalcava stated that she tries to make every person experience abortion in the most dignified manner possible. “I recall the case of a Texas girl whose doctor wanted her to go to another state, which was approximately 10 hours away. But she chose to travel to Monterrey instead, which is only 2 1/2 hour drive. She was also close to her family.”
Jimenez Rubalcava stated that she was brought by her mother to solve all the doubts and we had a great time. She actually told me that she had returned to Texas with her mother. “He knew I was pregnant, so how do I tell him?” I was very afraid. I asked her to tell me the truth. She said that the abortion was performed at five weeks. This is legal in Texas. They are difficult, new situations.”
Latin American and U.S. abortion rights activists worry that the United States is among the few countries where restrictions on abortions have increased after the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision.
“The United States case is a good example of how women’s rights cannot be taken for granted. These rights must be defended constantly, and permanent actions must taken to avoid any setbacks,” stated Cristina Rosero (senior legal counsel, U.S.-based Center for Reproductive Rights), which advocates for reproductive rights as human rights through a network.
The global trend in the last 25 years has been towards the liberalization and expansion of abortion laws. Recently, many Latin American countries, including the three largest, have made steps in this direction.
Latin America is still one of the most restrictive areas for abortion. Central American countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras have made abortion illegal. This has led to women using unsafe and dangerous methods and criminalizing those who are in obstetric emergencies.
Teodora del Carmen Vaquez, a Salvadoran activist, spent nearly 11 years in prison following the death of her son in a miscarriage.
“Unfortunately, my baby died because I didn’t have immediate medical attention. She said that she almost died and was sent to jail. “That is the pain that affects women. These laws are unfairly applied to us.
Legal movements to defend women’s rights in El Salvador have resulted in the release of 65 detained women. However, four women remain in prison and the latest conviction took place a month and half ago.
“We are very concerned about the United States, it is a poor example. Vasquez stated that it is not acceptable for what happens in the United States to be replicated in other countries.
There are also countries that allow abortion when the life or health of the pregnant woman is at risk. This is Chile and other Latin American countries. Other abortion allowances include incest, rape, or the birth of a fetus not viable. This includes Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica and Peru.
Rosero stated that there is an “interesting wave” in several countries that are moving towards a more broad decriminalization.
As the movements to defend abortion rights are called, the green tide has influenced legal changes.
The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice unanimously ruled that the criminalization of abortion was not constitutional in September. Five more Mexican states have legalized abortions since then. The Colombian Constitutional Court declared that abortion is no longer a crime, months later.
These rulings were made in response to the 2020 legalization of abortion in Argentina by the Congress. This means that three of the four largest Latin American countries have now accepted abortion rights.
Rosero stated that mobilization is a key factor in achieving progress in Colombia and Mexico. Rosero stated that at least the criminalization and persecution of the issue has been stopped somewhat. However, they are beginning to speak out about the stigmatization, although there is still much to do.
Laura Salome Canteros, an activist, sees the decriminalization and legalization of abortions as part of the universal human right demand. This movement is in many countries like Argentina closely tied to the fall of dictatorships and the rise of democracy.
Canteros stated that “we work a lot in a popular view.” Canteros said, “We advocate social decriminalization in order to make society better.” Truth is, the right to abort is sovereignty over the body, decisions and life. We have demonstrations with thousands of people from all ages.
Argentina’s Law 27610, which legalized voluntary termination of pregnancy, established that anyone with the ability to conceive can access an abortion up to the 14th week. Women who are at “risk to their health or life or sexual violence” may have an abortion.
Canteros stated that the United States was a “barbaric setback”, honestly. It’s a chance to organize and fight in an interconnected way because that is what the judicial and legislative channels are for. The next election is a wake up call for the Democratic Party.
Mexico is not a country that supports abortion rights, despite recent changes. According to the 2020 census, Mexico is nearly 78% Catholic. However, many organizations oppose the procedure.
“When a woman chooses to have an unplanned pregnancy, she is attempting to end her own life. Juan Manuel Alvarado is a member Familias Fuertes Unidas por Mexico. He said that they advocate prevention, education, and contraceptive policies.
“This pro-abortion tourist, it comes in the form of a cascade. It comes in a huge amount, and there is no restriction,” Alvarado stated.
Sandra Cardona, an AActivist, is used to hearing from conservative sections of Mexican society. They were actually part of this trend in many cases before they devoted themselves to women’s rights.
She said, “I was also one those closed people, because, as a teenager I collected signatures to criminalize women having abortions.” “First, I get them. But, what I tell them is that each woman and each person who has the ability to conceive, this decision belongs to them. We don’t have to make decisions about the bodies of women.
This article was originally published in Noticias Telemundo.