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BUENOS AIRES, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Argentine President Alberto Fernandez sent a bill to Congress on Tuesday that would legalize abortion, a significant step in the conservative South American nation where the procedure is currently considered a crime in most cases.
The bill would legalize the “voluntary interruption” of pregnancy and guarantee that the country’s health care system implements access to the procedure, Fernandez said in a video message shared on his Twitter account.
Abortion is a crime in predominantly Roman Catholic Argentina except in cases of rape or risk to the woman’s life or health. However, even women who meet those requirements often meet obstacles, particularly in conservative or rural areas, activists said.