Chileans march in Santiago to defend abortion rights on global day of action

Hundreds of people marched through Santiago on Monday to demand free, safe and legal abortion, joining demonstrations across Latin America to mark International Safe Abortion Day.

Participants wore the green scarves that have become a symbol of the region's reproductive rights movement. Women and men called for an end to restrictions they said fall hardest on low-income women.

"We are here to resist, to defend abortion and to ensure there is no backsliding," said a protester who gave her name as Fran. She described Chile's law as limited, noting that it permits abortion only under specific circumstances.

"In Chile's case, our law is limited, but it recognizes abortion as a right, even if the grounds are extreme," she said. "We all hope that one day we'll have access to abortion that allows us to make the decision freely and without having to meet specific grounds. Today we're here to defend what we at least have here, today, and not to back down."

Another participant, Fernanda Cavada, said the march also aimed to protect access under the country's three legal grounds for abortion.

"The right to abortion — which exists under the three grounds — is being criminalized more than ever," she said. "Today we have a far-right government that is governing through budget cuts."

Chile's new far-right president, Jose Antonio Kast, is fiercely opposed to abortion and has pushed to revert to a total ban in the country.

Protesters carried banners, including one reading "Legal abortion is social justice," and chanted slogans such as "Abortion yes, abortion no, that is my decision" and "Up feminism that is going to win!" Some wore costumes and danced as drummers played. Police officers guarded the march as it moved through the capital.