SAN JUAN – The popular representative Luis Raúl Torres filed a measure in order to hold a referendum for the people to decide if the right to abortion should remain legal in Puerto Rico or not, it was reported this Thursday.
“Certainly, there are different views on abortion and the Legislative Assembly has not been able to reach an institutional position of consensus to be able to resolve this issue,” Torres said in a press release.
“For this reason, these measures intend that the sovereign, the people of Puerto Rico, in consultation on a constitutional amendment, express themselves directly so that this matter is settled,” he emphasized.
Torres’s proposal comes after the Supreme Court of the United States annulled the past 24 of June, the historic sentence known as “Roe v. Wade”, which since 1973 guaranteed the right to abortion in the country.
In Puerto Rico, there is the right to abortion sde 1902 and the case “People against Duarte Mendoza”, resolved in 1980, directly tied the right to abortion with the constitutional right to privacy.
Despite this, various groups for and against abortion have discussed their positions.
“Given this scenario, two proposals will be presented so that the people, in the exercise of their sovereignty, decide which of the two visions should prevail,” explained Torres.
The first proposal details that it recognizes the right to life of the conceived and in the same way the right to life of the mother is affirmed, for this reason respect, defense and vindication will be guaranteed in the laws of both rights.
The second recognizes the sexual and reproductive rights of every human being, making way for abortion to be legal, free, and unrestricted in Puerto Rico following acceptable medical standards.
Torres announced that the consumption lta will be held on Sunday 26 of March 2023, and the State Elections Commission will be the body in charge to hold it, in addition to developing an orientation campaign during the 60 days prior to the date of the referendum.
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