Argentina elects pro-life president who pledged to hold abortion referendum

On Sunday, Javier Milei, a 53-year-old self-described “anarcho-capitalist,” was elected the next president of Argentina. He had promised that if elected, he would hold a referendum to determine whether abortion would remain legal in the nation.

A few years ago, Milei was a television personality, preaching against government spending and the ruling political class. He’s also stated that he opposes the killing of preborn children at all stages.

In a September interview with Tucker Carlson, Milei explained that he opposes abortion because “[o]ne of the most fundamental aspects [of true liberalism] is to defend the right to life.”

He went on to say that not only is he philosophically pro-life, but there’s also a scientific justification for being pro-life. “It’s the fact that life begins at conception, it’s at that very instant that a new being begins to evolve with its own DNA,” he said.

READ: Live Action president Lila Rose to UN: ‘Abortion is a contradiction of every human right’

Milei continued, “That makes abortion a murder, enabled and aggravated against a child that has no way to defend themselves.”

In 2020, Argentina’s Congress legalized abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy, as well as after 14 weeks in cases of rape or risk to the mother’s health (though abortion is never medically necessary). Milei had called that decision “not clean.”

In 2018, then-President Mauricio Macri opened the door for a vote on legalizing abortion. Legislation to legalize abortion passed the Chamber of Deputies that year but was blocked by the Senate. In 2020, following the election of pro-abortion President Alberto Fernandez, legislation legalizing abortion passed both chambers. In 2022, 96,664 abortions were committed in Argentina.

Abortion supporters have made it clear that they are not happy about Milei’s strong stance on abortion. 

“We are fighting against the presidential candidates who threaten the rights of women,” said Marilyna, 28, at a rally outside Argentina’s National Congress.

Another woman at the rally said, “We are here because we want to preserve the rights of women and abortion. We fought for a long time, and are afraid this potential new president might cut our rights. We will not allow it.”

Killing human beings who are living in the womb is not anyone’s right.