Abortion has been in national news recently, including front page headlines, numerous radio programs and televised interviews, including a one-hour television special on the abortion debate with a Bishop, the president of Pro-Vida, Deputy Health Minister Dr. José Narro Robles, and a representative of the Mexican reproductive rights group, Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida (GIRE). This is the first time in Mexican history that the public debate on abortion has reached this level of intensity.  Doctors, priests from Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC) in Mexico, lawyers, NGOs, and very well known movie stars support the need for a debate.  Opponents of abortion are trying to put this debate aside stating that there are other more important national issues to discuss.

 In an effort to increase public debate on abortion, those in support of liberalization have organized a group of over 60 public figures including scholars, writers, and political activists such as Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, Elena Poniatowska and Luis Villoro, who signed and published an open letter to Mexico City's house of legislators in support of revising Mexico City's penal code in relation to abortion. This letter was first published in major national daily newspapers, including Universal, Reforma, El Sol de Mexico, Excelsior and many others. The signers of the letter assert that no one is "in favor" of abortion, and affirm their conviction that decriminalization can prevent an estimated figure of 1,500 deaths per year of women who die from complications related to clandestine abortion.

 In July, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Mexico's Secretary of Health, declared his position that it is time to have a serious public debate on the decriminalization of abortion and requested the legislators to take this issue in their hands.  Subsequently, other high ranking public officials have declared their support of the idea; these officials include Genaro Borrego, and the Director of the Mexican Institute of Social Security.  On the other side of the spectrum, the Catholic Church, along with Pro-Vida (the Mexican Pro-Life), has reiterated its position against abortion, and declared that they are against any public discussion of the matter whatsoever.

 For further information contact GIRE at: gire@laneta.apc.org .

 You can obtain copies of the films in the Trilogy with Spanish subtitles.