MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Uruguay’s Senate voted to legalize first-trimester abortions for all women Wednesday in a groundbreaking measure that came with so many strings attached it left neither side in the bitter debate completely satisfied.
Senators voted 17-14 to back the measure, which has already passed the lower house, and President Jose Mujica was expected to quickly sign it into law.
The legislation establishes that the public health care system must guarantee every woman the freedom to decide without pressure whether or not to have an abortion.
That’s a big step for Latin America, where only Cuba grants all women the right to abortions. But it comes with so many conditions that both sides wonder how
Read more: Uruguay takes historic step legalizing abortion.