Brazil's Bolsonaro slams Argentina abortion law

BRASILIA: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro slammed neighbouring Argentina's decision to legalise abortion on Wednesday (Dec 30), branding it as state "consent" to killing children.

"I deeply regret the lives of Argentine children, now exposed to being cut from the wombs of their mothers with the consent of the state," tweeted the far-right leader of the world's biggest Catholic country.

Argentina’s Senate passed a law legalising abortion early on Wednesday after a marathon 12-hour session, a victory for the women’s movement that has been fighting for the right for decades.

The vote means that abortion will be legalised in Pope Francis' homeland up to the 14th week of pregnancy, and also will be legal after that time in cases of rape or danger to the mother’s life. 

The measure was passed with 38 votes in favour, 29 against and one abstention, after a session that began late on Tuesday.

It was already approved by Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies and has the support of President Alberto Fernández, meaning the Senate vote was its final hurdle.

Argentina became the largest Latin American country to legalise abortion and the Senate vote had been closely watched. 

With the exceptions of Uruguay, Cuba, Mexico City, Mexico's Oaxaca state, the Antilles and French Guiana, abortion remains largely illegal across the region.