Abortion

With all the progressive politics in Latin America we forget about where they are still reactionary and abortion is the worst. It is completely illegal here in Bolivia and as far as I know across Latin America.

A terrible story has been in the news here. A ten year old girl raped by a ten year old boy got pregnant (children here reach puberty earlier) : Her parents have gone public through their lawyer demanding that she be given an abortion. The doctors refuse becuase it is against their professional code of ethics and the law. But it is so clear to almost everyone that she should not be forced to go through the trauma of pregnancy and birth. Turns out there is a nine year old in Nicaragua in the same situation.

It has been discussed for hours on the news so one can hope that this case, as tragic as it is, might convince the government to open up abortion laws at least a little bit.

I am off to the jungle now so wait for some great pictures on Monday.