In the U.S., the Supreme Court decision will hand the determination of abortion legality to individual states

In 1973, the Supreme Court of the US passed a ruling in the famous Roe v Wade case that made abortion legal in all 50 states.  

Since that time, individuals, religious groups, and legislators have tried to limit the access women have to obtain an abortion. When the leaked memo signed by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was made public recently,  this issue has come to the forefront again.

The story is different in México.In a unanimous 10 to 0 ruling in September 2021, the Supreme Court of Justice in México decriminalized abortion in the states of Coahuila and Sinaloa. 

The effects of these rulings are broader in México since it sets a federally binding precedent: Judges cannot sentence people to jail for either having or assisting in induced abortions, even if local legislative bodies have not changed their criminal laws. The Mexican Supreme Court also established that local rules granting protections of «life from conception» were invalid—and that access to legal abortions is a fundamental right. 

Back in the U.S., the Supreme Court decision will hand the determination of abortion legality to individual states, many of which are gearing up to outlaw abortion completely or criminalize, subjecting women who have abortions or even miscarriages to jail time. The impact will fall hardest on those women who cannot afford or don’t have the ability to cross state lines where the procedure is legal.

The leaked U.S. ruling is likely to go into effect since there are five very conservative judges on the Court. In addition, people fear this will not be the end.  It will open the floodgates for more restrictive laws to be put forth.  Laws like banning same-sex marriage, undermining rights of transgendered people, and even eliminating interracial marriage are already being considered.

This is why we, all the members of Democrats Abroad Mexico, encourage ALL US citizens to vote in the upcoming midterm elections—and to vote for candidates who will work against this extreme movement to  limit women’s rights.

For further information, go to the Lake Chapala Society every Monday from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm to request your overseas ballot and more.   Or go to VotefromAbroad.org  and follow the instructions  on the webpage.

46: number of weeks Amy E.’s car has been in jail