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Torres Leads Congressional Letter to President Lasso of Ecuador Urging Respect for National Assembly, Abortion Access for Rape Survivors

March 8, 2022

WASHINGTON – Today Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) led 19 House colleagues in a letter to President Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador urging his support of the women and girls of Ecuador, requesting he sign into law a National Assembly bill that enables abortion access for rape survivors in Ecuador. Since 2019, around 4,000 girls under 14 have given birth in Ecuador, all in cases of rape. President Lasso originally said that despite personal opposition to abortion, he would not veto the bill. However, he has since made contradictory statements.

"We write to congratulate the people of Ecuador for standing up for the safety and wellbeing of women and girls through important legislation recently passed by the National Assembly that enables access to abortion for rape survivors in Ecuador," the lawmakers write. "We respectfully urge you to affirm the will of the Ecuadorian people as expressed through the National Assembly and swiftly sign this bill into law."

"Research by Ecuadorean and international human rights organizations shows that abortion restrictions do not stop abortions from happening," the lawmakers continue in the letter. "Instead, they force women and girls to seek abortions in clandestine settings where abortions are carried out unsafely and lead to health complications and even death. The World Health Organization has reported that the rate of unsafe abortions is four times higher in countries with restrictive abortion laws than in countries where abortion is legal."

"We urge you to sign the law with no changes," the lawmakers conclude. "This would send a clear message that you respect the democratic process that led to the bill's adoption, and that you are committed to upholding Ecuador's human rights obligations by ensuring that no Ecuadorean woman or girl suffers needlessly the harms of a forced pregnancy or a clandestine abortion."

The legislation and letter are supported by Human Rights Watch and Fundación Desafío.

"If President Lasso signs the law, he would go down in history as the one who knew how to respect the separation of powers, honor the secular state, and was sensitive to the tragedy of thousands of girls who are raped every year," said Fundación Desafío's President Virginia Gómez de la Torre. "It would help improve his image, both within the country - especially with the youth population, and fulfill his campaign promise that he would respect the ruling of the Constitutional Court. It would mark the difference between him and other presidents who are remembered for failing to keep their word."

"Ecuador has taken an important step to protect the rights of women and girls who were victims of sexual violence through a democratic process that included a Constitutional Court ruling decriminalizing abortion in cases of rape, a bill proposed by the Ombudsperson's Office regulating it, and an open debate by the legislature prior to its adoption," said Tamara Taraciuk Broner, Acting Americas director for Human Rights Watch. "President Lasso has the opportunity, and responsibility, to uphold his campaign promises to respect the rule of law. He should put women and girls first and sign the law."

Congresswoman Torres was joined in sending the letter by Representatives Albio Sires (NJ-08), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Dina Titus (NV-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Judy Chu (CA-27), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), David Trone (MD-6), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Jim Costa (CA-16).

Congresswoman Torres is a longtime advocate for women and children, human rights, and rule of law of Central and South America. Last year, Rep. Torres reintroduced her Central American Women and Children Protection Act, and she ensured key oversight and rule of law provisions were included in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY22.

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