Argentine Senate rejects historic abortion law

Pro-choice activists gather around a bonfire to keep warm as celebratory fireworks go off in the distance from a gathering of pro-life activists, as they all wait outside Congress for lawmakers to vote on an abortion bill in Buenos Aires, Argentina, early Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. The Senate debated a bill that would legalize elective abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, and eventually voted against it, keeping abortion limited to cases of rape or risks to a woman’s health. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina’s Senate has rejected a bill to legalize elective abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.

The issue has divided the homeland of Pope Francis. Lawmakers debated for more than 15 hours and voted Thursday – 31 in favor to 38 against.

Crowds of supporters and opponents of the measure braved heavy rain to watch the debate on large screens set up outside Congress.

The lower house of Congress had already passed the measure and President Mauricio Macri had said that he would sign it.

Argentina now allows the procedure only in cases of rape or risks to a woman’s health. /kga