{"id":220388,"date":"2020-03-19T00:44:37","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T05:44:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=220388"},"modified":"2020-03-19T17:54:19","modified_gmt":"2020-03-19T22:54:19","slug":"report-puerto-rico-close-pregnancy-abortion-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/report-puerto-rico-close-pregnancy-abortion-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: Puerto Rico to close only pregnancy center, keep abortion centers open during pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

In response to Puerto Rico\u2019s COVID-19 precautions, the island\u2019s only pro-life pregnancy center, <\/span>Cree Women\u2019s Care<\/span><\/a>, is reportedly being shut down as “non-essential,” while the island\u2019s abortion facilities remain open for business.<\/span><\/p>\n

By <\/span>decree<\/span><\/a> of Governor Wanda V\u00e1zquez Garced, Puerto Rico has enacted sweeping restrictions to limit all non-essential services and activities in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) threat. Despite the fact that <\/span>abortion is never medically necessary<\/span><\/a>, and that even abortion activists consider abortions to be elective<\/em> outpatient procedures, the state\u2019s abortion facilities are continuing to operate under the lockdown. Cree Women\u2019s Care and its support services for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies, however, have been ordered to close down, according to a statement provided to Live Action by Joseph Pardo, Co-founder of Cree Women’s Care and Toda la Vida.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur pregnancy center does not qualify as \u2018essential\u2019 but for some reason the abortion clinic, which is an elective procedure, remains open making thousands of dollars killing children,\u201d Mr. Pardo said. Cree Women\u2019s Care <\/span>offers<\/span><\/a> free pregnancy testing, counseling, education, and supplies to expectant parents in need.<\/span><\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Massachusetts puts profit over public safety, allowing abortions to continue during pandemic<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The <\/span>governor\u2019s decree<\/span><\/a>, which expands on her March 12th State of Emergency declaration, restricts public use of roads from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm to certain emergent uses to include medical appointments, approved work, assisting the vulnerable to obtain medical attention, and visiting financial institutions. From a health perspective, allowed uses of public roads include \u201cmedical appointments, attending hospitals, laboratories or medical service centers, hospitals.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Abortion is not a <\/span>health care service<\/span><\/a>. It is the deliberate killing of a human being in the womb. <\/span>Abortion procedures<\/span><\/a>\u00a0also carry risks of complications, and there may be additional risks for patients requiring hospitalization, especially when hospitals are already starting to be overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, abortion in Puerto Rico is legal at any point in pregnancy. Since the <\/span>risks of abortion increase<\/span><\/a> as pregnancy progresses, women seeking late-term abortions could face additional problems if they require hospitalization.<\/span><\/p>\n