Chile – Political Undertones of the Anti-Abortion Bill: Urruticoechea, the Kaisers, and Ethical Concerns

The controversial anti-abortion bill proposed by the far-right is closely tied to political connections, particularly with its main proponent, Cristóbal Urruticoechea, a deputy of the National Libertarian Party, who is married to Senator Vanessa Kaiser.

20/07/2026

The controversial anti-abortion bill proposed by the far-right is closely linked to political ties: its main proponent, Cristóbal Urruticoechea, a deputy of the National Libertarian Party (PNL), has been married since February to Senator Vanessa Kaiser, sister of Johannes and Axel Kaiser.

The initiative titled «Listen to His Heart» requires women to hear fetal heartbeats before obtaining an abortion. This proposal was introduced on June 7 by Urruticoechea along with deputies Chiara Barchiesi (Republican Party), Catalina del Real (Republican Party), Álvaro Jofré (National Libertarian Party), Claudia Reyes (Republican Party), and Ximena Ossandón (Renewal National), who later withdrew her signature, admitting it was a “mistake” to endorse it.

Continued: https://www.elciudadano.com/en/political-undertones-of-the-anti-abortion-bill-urruticoechea-the-kaisers-and-ethical-concerns/07/20/

20.07.2026

Commentary

anti-choice misogyny

Cristóbal Urruticoechea

Chile Abortion Bill Puts Women’s Choice Through a Political Stethoscope

The Latin American Post
July 15, 2026

A far-right proposal in Chile would require doctors to offer fetal cardiac audio before legal abortions, then deny the procedure when patients decline. The contradiction has reopened a struggle over autonomy, trauma and President José Antonio Kast’s promised political restraint.

A Choice That Cancels Itself
The scene written into Chile’s latest abortion bill is intimate by design. A doctor tells a patient that embryonic or fetal cardiac activity is detectable, then offers to make it audible. She may say no. Under the bill’s own language, the physician must then refuse the abortion and record her decision. This is the controversy’s hinge: the proposal calls her refusal free, yet attaches the loss of care to it. Choice becomes ceremony, then consequence. The clinical room becomes a checkpoint, and consent becomes conditional, too.

Continued: https://latinamericanpost.com/life/chile-abortion-bill-puts-womens-choice-through-a-political-stethoscope/

Fears for women’s rights in Chile as anti-abortion president set to take office

José Antonio Kast, who voted against legalising divorce in 2004, has pushed for return to total abortion ban

Charis McGowan in Santiago
Tue 10 Mar 2026

Women’s rights activists in Chile are bracing as the most conservative president since the Pinochet dictatorship prepares to take office on Wednesday.

José Antonio Kast, a 60-year-old ultra Catholic whose father was a member of the Nazi party, has consistently blocked progressive bids for women’s rights and equality across his three-decade career in politics.

As a congressman, Kast voted against divorce when Chile became one of the last countries of the world to legalise it in 2004 and vehemently opposed the legalisation of abortion under limited exceptions when it was passed in 2017. He has since pushed to revert to a total ban on abortion and require parental consent for the morning-after pill.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/10/fears-womens-rights-chile-anti-abortion-president-jose-antonio-kast

Chile’s president-elect names staunch abortion opponent as gender equality minister

Far-right incoming president picked Judith Marín, who has publicly decried bills to decriminalise abortion, for the role

John Bartlett in Santiago
Wed 21 Jan 2026

Chile’s incoming far-right president José Antonio Kast has named a vehement opponent of abortion who has repeatedly stated her support for life “from conception to natural death” as the country’s new women and gender equality minister.

Judith Marín, 30, was once ejected from Chile’s senate by police for screaming “return to the Lord” during a vote to decriminalise abortion under restricted circumstances.

She is an evangelical former student church group president who belonged to the Eagles of Jesus, a far-right Christian group which recruits at universities around the country.

Continued; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/21/chile-abortion-opponent-gender-equality-minister

21.01.2026

Kast, the favorite to win Chile’s presidential runoff, could limit abortion access

By Sarah Morland and Nicolas Cortes
November 27, 2025

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's gradual expansion of abortion access is at risk of a dramatic reversal as far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast, a staunch Catholic who opposes even morning-after contraception, surges toward a likely presidential runoff victory in December.

Abortion in Chile, which was completely banned under the 1973-1990 military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, was partially decriminalized in 2017, when it became legal only in cases of risk to the woman's life, fetal inviability and rape.

Continued: https://archive.is/flqrx
(https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/kast-favorite-win-chiles-presidential-runoff-could-limit-abortion-access-2025-11-27/)

27.11.2025

With Friends and At Home

Abortion and euthanasia at the forefront of Chilean politics
The Chilean government presented bills to legalize free abortion up to 14 weeks and to reactivate the debate on euthanasia, generating strong rejection from the political opposition and religious leaders. Both initiatives are part of Gabriel Boric's presidential program for the 2025 elections.

Editorial Staff Omnes
June 9, 2025

In the first week of June, the government of President Gabriel Boric sent to the Chilean Congress a bill for free abortion -without grounds- up to the 14th week of pregnancy. pregnancy. The presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate -both from the opposition- declared that it is not their intention to put them on the political agenda.

In addition, 20 opposition senators signed a letter rejecting the bill and other members of the government coalition have expressed their opposition.

Continued: https://www.omnesmag.com/en/news/abortion-euthanasia-chilean-politics/

09.06.2025

News

abortion law reform

Gabriel Boric

medical assistance in dying

Chilean Government Reactivates Debate on Legal Abortion

The announcement of the bill to legalize abortion up to 12 weeks has revived the debate in Chilean society.

May 26, 2025
By El Mostrador

HAVANA TIMES – In a significant move for reproductive rights in Chile, the government announced it will present a bill to Congress to decriminalize abortion up to 12 weeks of gestation. This initiative, promised by President Gabriel Boric in his 2024 state of the nation address, seeks to expand access to voluntary termination of pregnancy beyond the three currently permitted grounds: risk to the mother’s life, non-viable fetus, and pregnancy resulting from rape.

Minister of Women and Gender Equity Antonia Orellana confirmed that the bill will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies in the coming days. Orellana noted that after a year of work aimed at improving the implementation of the existing three grounds abortion law, it is now time to open up debate on legal abortion within defined time limits.

Continued: https://havanatimes.org/news/chilean-government-reactivates-debate-on-legal-abortion/

Chile must guarantee right to health, access to safe abortion and strengthen mental health services, says UN expert

04 December 2024
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

SANTIAGO - Chile must align its constitution with international human rights standards to fully guarantee the enjoyment of the right to health for all, a UN expert said today.

“Chile must prioritise health funding and ensure equitable resource allocation,” said Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, following an official visit to the country.

In a statement, Mofokeng acknowledged the government's willingness to address challenges, including mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and disparities in the private-public health system.

Continued: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/12/chile-must-guarantee-right-health-access-safe-abortion-and-strengthen-mental

04.12.2024

Commentary

conscientious objection

conscientious objector

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

OHCHR

Tlaleng Mofokeng

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health

Chile President Gabriel Boric Lays Out Plans to Legalize Abortion and Euthanasia

Matthew Malinowski, Bloomberg News
Sat Jun 1, 2024

(Bloomberg) -- Chile President Gabriel Boric said he will introduce a bill to fully legalize abortion and will also accelerate debate on a euthanasia proposal, two plans that face an uphill battle for approval in a divided Congress.

The government will submit legislation on abortion in the second half of this year, Boric said in his annual State of the Nation address given Saturday in Chile’s Congress. The administration will also apply “urgency” to an existing bill on assisted death, he said, thus granting it priority status.

“As president, I am convinced of the need for a democratic debate on the topic of sexual and reproductive rights,” Boric said, prompting a burst of cheers while, at the same time, some lawmakers left the session in protest.

Continued: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/chile-president-gabriel-boric-lays-out-plans-to-legalize-abortion-and-euthanasia-1.2079995

01.06.2024

Chile voters reject conservative proposal to replace dictatorship-era constitution

Latest attempt at new charter drew controversy over social rights, abortion articles

The Associated Press
Dec 17, 2023

Chilean voters rejected on Sunday a proposed conservative constitution to replace the country's dictatorship-era charter. With 96 per cent of votes counted late Sunday, about 55.8 per cent had voted No to the new charter, with about 44.2 per cent in favour.

… One of the most controversial articles in the proposed new draft said that "the law protects the life of the unborn," with a slight change in wording from the current document that some have warned could make abortion fully illegal in the South American country. Chilean law currently allows the interruption of pregnancies for three reasons: rape, an unviable fetus and risk to the life of the mother.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/chile-vote-constitution-1.7062247?cmp=rss

17.12.2023