Chile closer to lifting abortion ban

Chile's lower house of Congress has approved a proposal to lift a ban on abortion in cases of rape, when there is health risk for the mother, or when the foetus is not viable, international media report.

The draft, submitted by Michelle Bachelet's government, now needs Senate approval to become law.

Although the country is Catholic, it had allowed abortion until 1989, when General Augusto Pinochet’s military government banned the practise.

Opinion polls had showed that most Chileans approve the change, and the proposal was ultimately approved 66 to 44 votes.

“This is an historic day. We see the political will to let women make their own decisions,” the BBC quotes lawmaker Karol Cariola of the Communist Party, which is part of Bachelet's governing coalition saying.

The government had tabled the bill 14 months ago, and managed to get the support of some members of the conservative Christian Democrats.

The BBC reports that Chile is one of seven Latin American countries (El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and Surinam) where there is still a total ban on abortion. Only Cuba, Guyana, Puerto Rico and Uruguay allow abortions in cases other than rape, incest or threats to a woman's health.  In 2012, Uruguay's congress voted narrowly to legalise abortions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In Mexico, only Mexico City has legalised abortion, during the first 12 weeks.