The National Congress of Honduras, in a strong maneuver of the anti-rights, approved this Thursday, January 21, a constitutional amendment to prohibit equal marriage and abortion. Although both rights are currently prohibited, this political move acts as a constitutional lock and makes any minimal progress even more difficult.
From now on, it will take 96 of the 128 total votes in Congress to change Articles 67 and 112, which are the ones referring to abortion and equal marriage respectively, the congressmen determined yesterday.
In Honduras, constitutional reforms must be approved by a two-thirds vote. Until yesterday, 86 votes were needed, according to the Honduran Constitution. But to change the prohibitions against abortion and marriage between people of the same sex will require more: three quarters of Congress (96 votes). This change still needs to be ratified in a new legislature in 2022.
Reforming Article 67 of the Constitution of the Republic of Honduras established by the congressmen is intended to prevent the legalization of abortion in Honduras. They also modified Article 112 on the recognition of the same-sex marriage. Article 67 of the Constitution of the Republic of Honduras states that it is "prohibited and illegal to practice any form of interruption of the life of the unborn, who must be respected at all times.
Article 112 prohibits equal marriage, stating that it recognizes "the right of men and women, who have the status of such naturally, to contract marriage with each other, as well as the legal equality of the spouses. Only civil marriage celebrated before a competent official and under the conditions required by law is valid".
"Today is an extremely sad day for human rights in Honduras," said Cattrachas Lesbian Network coordinator Indyra Mendoza. "It is shocking to be in the hands of perverse policies and politicians.
For the Cattrachas defender, "women's rights and LGBTI+ populations have always been a matter of change, but this time they went too far. Not only because of strategies to destroy each other, since the National Party wanted to steal the flag of struggle from the Liberal. It is not fair that they exchange our lives for votes and power".
"If they continue with these policies, there will be more caravans, not only of women and LGBTIQ+ people. The truth is, Honduras is going to leave," lamented the Cattrachas coordinator. And she added: "They put in Article 112, without having discussed it and without having alluded to anything explicit in the ruling. Honduras is going to be punished by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for this discriminatory law," she said.
Shield against abortion
With the so-called "Shield Against Abortion" reform, approved in a single debate, Honduras becomes one of the four countries in Latin America that prohibit abortion in all cases.