Abortion rights advance in Mexico, while Texas wants to trap ‘runaways’

On Sept. 6, Mexico’s Supreme Court struck down all federal criminal penalties for abortion. The court ruled that national laws prohibiting the medical procedure are unconstitutional and violate women’s rights.  

This was a major victory for the thousands of Mexican women and supporters who have been out in the streets fighting for abortion rights, and reflects the growing movement for abortion access throughout Latin America.

The Mexican court’s action stands in sharp contrast to the U.S. Supreme Court, which threw out Roe v. Wade last year. In the U.S., women’s rights are being turned back by a century. Transgender and other LGBTQ2S people are literally fighting for their lives.

While abortion rights activists in Mexico celebrate, simultaneously in Texas and other states, the reactionary drive to end reproductive rights grinds on. This same ruthless process continues to abolish medical care for trans people.

Under the banner of “stopping abortion trafficking” and “ending the baby murdering cartel,” Texas counties are poised to pass ordinances to block anyone traveling on roads within their county seeking abortion.

So far, two Texas counties have passed such ordinances, which include sections of Interstates 20 and 84. Those major highways connect to New Mexico, where new clinics have been opened to accommodate Texas women and others who can become pregnant since that state effectively outlawed abortion.

The strategy of the far right is to add other counties and cities in Texas – a chilling action that has been compared with 19th century laws to “stop runaway slaves.”

Maggie Vascassenno of Women In Struggle – Mujeres En Lucha stated, “Our strategy needs to be a furious fight back. We should learn from the activists in Mexico and Latin America.”  

The group is part of a grassroots coalition organizing a National March to Protect Trans Youth and Speakout for Trans Lives in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 7. “Free, legal, accessible abortions” is one of the march’s demands. Learn more at ProtectTransKidsMarch.org.