Several hundred women took to the streets of Guadalajara Monday, September 27, to demand that Jalisco pass laws to decriminalize abortion in the state.
Despite some minor skirmishes and defacing of public and private property, police made no arrests.
The march and demonstration to mark International Safe Abortion Day was held simultaneously with gatherings in other cities around the nation, including Mexico City, where more serious acts of violence were reported.
The protest was the first in Jalisco since the September 7 Mexican Supreme Court ruling that having an abortion cannot be considered a crime. The court revoked a law in the state of Coahuila that punished women with up to three years in prison for having an abortion — even in cases of rape. The landmark ruling appeared to clear the way for the legalization of abortion across the country.
The onus is now on federal legislators and state governments to amend laws and decriminalize abortion nationwide, NGOs and women’s rights groups say.
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