Controversial Statement from Barroso on Criminalization of Abortion
Barroso, a prominent figure, recently made a bold statement regarding the criminalization of abortion. He argued that no democratic and developed country adopts criminalization as a public policy, not even traditionally Catholic countries like Portugal and Italy. He emphasized that perhaps it is not a good public policy if no one adopts it. Barroso pointed out that criminalization does not reduce the number of abortions but only prevents the procedure from being carried out safely.
The President of the Supreme Court suspended the judgment last September and has not set a date for its resumption. The only vote so far is from former minister Rosa Weber, who advocated for decriminalization shortly before retiring. The case brought by the PSOL has been pending in the Supreme Court since 2017. The party argues that the criminalization of abortion violates women’s fundamental rights to life, freedom, and physical integrity.
In Brazil, abortion is considered a crime punishable by one to three years in prison. The procedure is only allowed in cases of rape-induced pregnancy, risk of maternal death, or anencephalic fetus. The debate surrounding the legalization of abortion continues to be a contentious issue in the country.