In Colombia, group to present collected signatures for anti-abortion popular consultation

[Original in Spanish] The leader of the Referendum for Life initiative, Sara Castellanos, affirmed that they already have the necessary signatures to request a popular consultation that protects the lives of those not born in the Colombian Constitution. The objective of the promoters of the Referendum for Life is to modify article 11 of the Magna Carta, which currently states that “the right to life is inviolable. There will be no death penalty." If successful, the constitutional article would add that the right to life is inviolable "from conception." To promote a referendum, it must have the support of 5% of Colombians eligible to vote, that is, 1.95 million of the 39 million voters. In statements to Semana magazine, Castellanos assured that they have more than two million signatures to be presented on Tuesday, July 25, to the National Registry for the purpose of its endorsement. If the Registry supports the necessary signatures, the initiative will go to Congress to be debated and, if approved, a referendum will be called. [...] In 2006, the Constitutional Court of Colombia decriminalized abortion under the grounds of danger to the life of the mother, malformation of the fetus incompatible with life, and in cases of rape. In February 2021, the Court liberalized this practice up to 24 weeks of gestation. After this, abortion is decriminalized only under the conditions established in 2006.
Read the full article here: ACI Prensa / Catholic News Agency