Abortion foes gain ground

Lawmakers in Veracruz made it Mexico’s 17th state to pass legislation declaring that life begins at conception, then adopted a proposal that requires Congress to consider amending the constitution to outlaw abortion.

A majority of the country’s 31 states have now enacted antiabortion measures in response to Mexico City’s legislature permitting abortions in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Mexican states currently set their own laws on abortion, but the constitutional proposal adopted by the Veracruz lawmakers is likely to make the issue a federal one.

Under the constitution, a single state legislature can propose an amendment that must be considered by Congress, and even pro-choice activists said that given the makeup of Congress, Veracruz’s proposal stands a good chance of approval.