Kast Ally Criticizes Bill Forcing Women to Hear Fetal Heartbeat

The president of Chile's conservative Independent Democratic Union (UDI) party has criticized a proposed bill that would mandate women listen to a fetal heartbeat before undergoing an abortion, deeming it "ineffective" and likely to prevent "very few abortions."

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Our party is pro-life and has always maintained a stance against abortion. The defense of life is not a minor issue for us; it is central to our body of ideas and principles, but we consider that it is ineffective and would prevent few abortions.

Guillermo Ramírez, who also serves as a deputy, stated that while his party is pro-life and fundamentally opposes abortion, they believe the "Listen to its heart" bill, pushed by the far-right, is difficult to enforce. The UDI plans to present an alternative proposal to the government.

"During the campaign, the government said these matters would not be a priority because it was an emergency administration. However, we are requesting that an exception be made and a bill on accompaniment be presented," Ramírez commented. He argued that women facing pregnancy alone are more prone to abortion than those with support systems. "Women who face pregnancy alone, because they do not have the support of their partner, their parents, or their friends, are much more likely to abort than a woman who is accompanied by someone who tells her, 'Go ahead, I support you.' This way, we can prevent abortions," he added.

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During the campaign, the government said these matters would not be a priority because it was an emergency administration. However, we are requesting that an exception be made and a bill on accompaniment be presented.

The proposed bill, introduced by congress members from President José Antonio Kast's Republican Party and the Libertarian National Party, stipulates that if a woman refuses to hear the heartbeat, the doctor must refuse to perform the abortion and document this refusal. Similar measures have been adopted in Hungary and the Spanish region of Castilla y León. President Kast, an anti-abortion advocate, had previously pledged to focus his administration on the economy and crime rather than cultural issues.

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Women who face pregnancy alone, because they do not have the support of their partner, their parents, or their friends, are much more likely to abort than a woman who is accompanied by someone who tells her, ‘Go ahead, I support you.' This way, we can prevent abortions.