Our work with Hispanics

I'd like to share with you some of the most important triumphs that HLI/VHI affiliates and other groups have achieved with Vida Humana Internacional’s assistance.

In 1998 Argentina became the first country in the world to proclaim nationwide by Presidential Decree, the Day of the Unborn. This celebration will continue to take place every year on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25. Chile, Brazil and Guatemala have all introduced and/or passed similar proclamations. The Chilean congress unanimously approved a resolution but the new president refused to sign it, in spite of the many thousands of signatures that the pro-life movement presented. A pro-life legislator in Brazil has officially requested it from the Brazilian congress.

Nicaragua became the second country to oficially declare March 25 the Day of the Unborn Child. Costa Rica=s First Lady said a special day would be approved, according to HLI=s affiliate there.Our affiliate in Nicaragua, ANPROVIDA, helped organize a pro-life march in which the president and his wife participated. Costa Rica became the first country to outlaw in-vitro fertilization. Guatemala=s congress approved a pro-life resolution too, the constitution of that country bases its protection of the unborn on the premise that life begins at conception, in accordance with Article 4.1 of the American Convention on Human Rights. The official declaration of that government states that the objective is Ato promote a culture of life, in defense of life from the moment of conception@. Guatemala also made history by being the first country in the world to prohibit the sale of Vermagest, a Amorning after pill@ - also euphemistically called Aemergency contraception@, which a woman takes supposedly to Aprevent@ a pregnancy after conception has taken place. The victory was largely due to the efforts of CODEDENA, a pro-life organization that is a member of the Latin American Council for Life and Family, founded by Vida Humana Internacional.

HLI=s affiliate in El Salvador, led by Julia Regina de Cardenal - president of Si a la Vida - obtained an unprecedented victory. Protection for the unborn , who was declared a person under the law, was written into the constitution and ratified.

In reality, at least at the present time, Latin America leads the world in protecting the unborn.

While the U.S. tragically denies the right to life to the unborn, in Latin American countries abortion is still illegal for the most part. HLI has played an important role in helping the developing countries of the world protect and nurture the life of its most vulnerable and innocent citizens. Through the work of its Hispanic Division, Vida Humana Internacional, it is giving training, organizing conferences, donating resources and providing support to the pro-life leaders in Latin America, whose efforts have brought about these pro-life milestones. Yet, it is the active role of the Catholic Church in Latin America and its bishops, that have nurtured the environment where the cry of the unborn can be heard by the law makers and opinion shapers.

Vida Humana Internacional has long provided support to Latin American bishops in their pro-life/family efforts. In some instances it has even encouraged initiatives by providing valuable insight into the anti-life movement in their countries, through informative reports distributed to bishops in several countries. There are many Latin American bishops who are very outspoken where it concerns the right to life.

The role of the Catholic Church was evident for example in Colombia, when the Colombian Senate voted against legalizing abortion and genetic manipulation. As with all pro-life victories, the hand of God was clearly seen when the opposing forces remained silent during the plenary session of the Senate, following the declarations of church officials, who interceded on behalf of the unborn. HLI=s affiliate in Colombia, Fundacion Cultura de la Vida Humana, provided educational assistance where it concerns proposed legislation later approved, which penalizes abortion and genetic manipulation.

In Spain several bishops spoke out clearly and publicly to Catholics just before the elections, telling them that they had to vote for a pro-life candidate or at least for the one that would have the most possibilities of assuming a pro-life position and defending life. A huge success was achieved in that country in 1999, when the conservative Partido Popular (the party of which President Aznar is a member), won an unprecedented number of legislative posts against the coalition formed by the PSOE (the Socialist Party), the communists and pro-abortion feminists.

However, the powerful anti-life organizations that are working in Latin America are not giving up. They are concerned about the fact that up to the present time, they have not been able to legalize abortion in a single Hispanic country, even though they have plenty of funding from U.S. anti-life foundations.

In Nicaragua, as in many other Latin American countries, there are efforts to legalize abortion as the Penal Code is under revision. VHI's affiliate in that country ANPROVIDA and its dynamic leader Dr. Rafael Cabrera, are fighting huge battles.

The pro-life movement in Argentina suffered a defeat after enjoying a huge success when then President Menem established the Day of the Unborn Child. The newly elected President of Argentina, Fernando de la Rúa, a socialist and former leader of IPPF=s Interamerican Parliamentarians, has a pro-abortifacient-contraceptive agenda. A Areproductive health@ program (euphemism for the promotion of contraceptives/abortifacients) has been approved which is encountering fierce opposition from the Catholic Church and from countless Argentinians.

Cuba's pro-abortion situation continues to be the worst in the Americas (and also in the world), with such a high abortion rate (more abortions than births) that its birthrate is the lowest in the world. Despite the fact that Pro Vida Cuba - a pro-life lay movement- is overworked, underfunded and working under the most difficult circumstances, it is doing incredible and courageous work in order to educate a communist, godless society, which has had abortion legalized (under certain circumstances) since the 40's (well before Communist Fidel Castro took over). Castro made abortion on demand the law of the land and the government pays for it. All the couple is asked to contribute is a pint of blood from the man, in case there are complications. The scarcity of the most necessary items (including food) and lack of freedom (Pro Vida Cuba can only work inside the Church and with, thank God, very pro-life Bishops), all of which are typical of a Communist country, severely limit pro-life work, financial resources and equipment. The pro-life movement in Cuba desperately needs help, especially where it concerns efforts to offer a pro-life alternative to women who otherwise would abort out of desperation.

All HLI affiliates in Latin America and the Caribbean, are desperately fighting Aemergency contraception@ (early abortion) in their countries. That is the main thrust of the anti-life movement, even though abortion is illegal for the most part. They are up against AThe International Consortium on Emergency Contraception@, which includes powerful anti-life organizations like the United Nations= UNFPA, World Health Organization, World Bank Special Program of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (Geneva), International Planned Parenthood (IPPF London) and the Population Council in New York among others. The group is Acommitted to making a dedicated product for emergency contraception a standard part of reproductive health care around the world.@(22)

Fortunately almost without any exception, pro-life organizations in every one of the Hispanic countries, fights contraception too. They all know that there is a close relationship between the massive promotion and use of contraception and the widespread practice of abortion and its legalization. Not just because the most widely used contraceptives abort part of the time, but also because contraception encourages an anti-child mentality that ends up in abortion. The Latin American pro-life movement understands this connection well and it is also involved in fighting inmoral hedonistic sex education programs, which are the main vehicle for the promotion and acceptance of contraception, sterilization and abortion.

Please pray for the Hispanic countries in this hemisphere, they are under the worst anti-life attack ever! And help us to provide even more asssistance to pro-life/family leaders throughout the Hispanic world by sending us a generous donation!

This article is part of the talk given by Mrs. Llaguno at the 13th Annual Convention of the Delaware Pro-Life Coalition, March 18, 2000.