Kast descarta impulsar el proyecto que condiciona el aborto a escuchar el latido fetal

Chilean President José Antonio Kast announced on Monday that his government will not pursue a bill introduced by lawmakers from his own coalition that would make women agree to hear the fetal cardiac activity a condition for accessing legal abortion. In an interview with T13 Radio, Kast stated that while lawmakers are free to introduce bills and generate debate, his government will not move forward with this particular issue.

Kast emphasized his campaign focused on economic, security, and social matters, and vowed not to promote measures that cause tension. He pointed out that the bill, named "Listen to your heart," differs from other countries, as Chile's requirement was made compulsory.

The bill, introduced in July by lawmaker Cristóbal Urruticoechea of the Partido Nacional Libertario, with support from the Partido Republicano and other parties, aims to amend the Health Code. It requires physicians to inform women about the detectable cardiac activity before performing an abortion. If a woman refuses to hear the fetal heartbeat, the physician must not proceed with the procedure.

Abortion in Chile has been legal since 2017 under three circumstances: risk to the woman's life, fetal unviability, and rape. The law was enacted during Michelle Bachelet's second term, and the proposed bill would not repeal it.

Opposition to the proposal emerged from within the governing coalition. The president of the Unión Democrática Independiente, Guillermo Ramírez, deemed the measure ineffective and difficult to enforce. Health Minister May Chomali noted last week that there is no scientific basis for expecting women to change their decisions based on this requirement.

The World Health Organization advises against making ultrasounds a mandatory prerequisite for accessing abortion, stating that information should be objective and not intended to influence decisions.

Demonstrations supporting the bill took place in Santiago and other cities in late July, with slogans like "Hear my heart" and "Hear my decision." Kast's stance faced discontent from the bill's sponsors. Urruticoechea vowed not to give up and keep fighting for what he sees as the rebuilding of what former President Gabriel Boric's government dismantled.

Fellow party member Paulina Muñoz asserted that the defense of innocent life has no timetable. The head of the Partido Republicano, Arturo Squella, agreed with Kast on keeping the debate in Congress without executive involvement. Similar measures have been implemented in Hungary since 2022 and in Spain's Castilla y León region.