Chile takes step to lift total abortion ban

Chile’s senate on Wednesday passed a bill allowing the country to legalize abortion in certain cases. After a debate that continued past midnight, the Senate voted to allow abortion when a mother’s life is in danger, when the baby has fatal birth defects, and when the pregnancy results from rape. The bill will be sent to the lower house, where it will be reconciled with a version passed there in 2016. Abortions currently are illegal without exception in Chile. Pro-abortion president Michelle Bachelet hailed the vote as “historic,” adding Chile “can be a country where women can make the best decision possible when faced with such situations.” But pro-life lawmakers vowed to continue fighting the measure. “It has been a sad day for Chile,” Sen. Jacqueline van Rysselberghe said. “We are going to take it to the constitutional tribunal (to try to block it).”