Supplement: Abortion and the Left

This Red Supplement was developed since November 2008, following an article published in Claridad (November 6 to 12, 2008) that with the title of "Returning to the new Nicaragua", praised the "Sandinista" government for approving the Equal Opportunity for Women Law, and showing a lack of knowledge of the recent prohibition and criminalization of therapeutic abortion orchestrated by that same "Sandinista" government, which has also unleashed a persecution against feminist leaders and groups in favor of the right let's decide.portadalaridadThe absence of this information in the article warned us about the importance of making this topic visible. The horrific paradox presented by the case of Nicaragua, in which a supposed left government conspires with the Vatican and persecutes people for the simple fact of believing in the right to decide on their own bodies, has put the finger on the wound about something that is not talked about: abortion and the left. The case of Nicaragua is, at the moment, and regarding the issue of the left and abortion, one of the most critical, but it is not the only one. It was also in November 2008 (the same month that the article on Nicaragua was published) when Uruguay, the left government, was in which the majority of the Parliament voted for a Law of Decriminalization and its president Tabaré Vázquez vetoed it because he decided to put his religious beliefs above the democratic mandate and the Health supplements of women. Europe is not free from this either. The case of Spain, where a new law of abortion is being prepared these days, is also not dramatic. In 1998, when the Socialist Party was in power, it did not facilitate the reform of the law, and now, women and the health system pay the consequences of a law that forces women to declare themselves almost crazy in order to obtain an abortion. elective, in addition to the multiple attacks on women and abortion providers. where a new law of abortion is being prepared these days, it is also not dramatic. In 1998, when the Socialist Party was in power, it did not facilitate the reform of the law, and now, women and the health system pay the consequences of a law that forces women to declare themselves almost crazy in order to obtain an abortion. elective, in addition to the multiple attacks on women and abortion providers. where a new law of abortion is being prepared these days, it is also not dramatic. In 1998, when the Socialist Party was in power, it did not facilitate the reform of the law, and now, women and the health system pay the consequences of a law that forces women to declare themselves almost crazy in order to obtain an abortion. elective, in addition to the multiple attacks on women and abortion providers.

This Supplement includes articles on all those cases: Nicaragua, Uruguay, Spain, and another, with a regional view on the subject, with the aim of starting to provoke dialogue and to talk about these issues, especially at a time in which, in our Latin American and Caribbean region, left and liberal governments are emerging with much effort. Our recognition and gratitude to the collaborators, from Spain, Raquel Casares, from Nicaragua, Ana María Pizarro and from Uruguay, Elena Fonseca and Cecilia Stapff. We appreciate the opportunity offered to us by the Director of En Rojo, Alida Millán and the director of Claridad, Gervasio Morales, and the entire Claridad team that makes possible the publication of this Supplement.