Pro-life activists take part in a march against the legalization of abortion in San Jose, Costa Rica,
Photo: Ezequiel BECERRA / AFP Thousands participated in Saturday’s March for Life in the Costa Rican capital, urging that the president not sign a technical regulation for the performance of therapeutic abortion.
The event was organised by Wake Up Costa Rica, Democracy in Action, and the Autonomous University of Central America.
Joining the march were politicians who urged President Carlos Alvarado not to sign the ‘Technical Norm for Non-Punishable Abortion’ which would regulate Article 121 of the Criminal Code for the performance of therapeutic abortion in public and private clinics nationwide.
Risk to life
The government announced in early 2019 that the technical norm was being drafted by a team from the Department of Health and was going to be signed by the president during this year, though an exact date has not yet been set.
Pro-life groups however charged that the norm could be a window to allow abortion on demand.
Costa Rica’s Criminal Code considers abortion a crime, decriminalised only in cases of risk to the life of the mother.
The Political Constitution states in Article 21 that “human life is inviolable”.
Carmen Chan, an opposition legislator of the New Republic Party, said while attending that march that “life is inviolable and no one has the right to put an end to it and our duty is to promote laws and policies that contribute to the improvement of living conditions for Costa Ricans”.