Last week we told you that Mexican television star Chespirito had joined forces with an anti-abortion organization called “Dénme Chance” (“Give me a Chance”) to try to force the genie of the women’s reproductive rights movement in Mexico City back into the bottle. That same organization has in turn published the cell phone number of the Mayor of Mexico City, Marcelo Ebrard, without his permission, urging anti-abortion activists to call him.

While Dénme Chance activists claim that calls to the Mayor have been overwhelmingly on the side of those urging a veto of the bill expected to legalize abortion in the city, Ebrard says it isn’t so, and that he won’t back down:

“The feelings of citizens have been in favor and in opposition,” he said, after stating that the actions taken by the organization do not affect him: “They aren’t going to intimidate me.”

He denied that the opinions against the legalization of abortion have turned into threats: “No, there haven’t been any [threats] yet, and I don’t expect any [in the future].”

Meanwhile, after a long and heated debate, a united commission of all political parties in Mexico City (pictured above) approved a change to the local law which depenalizes abortions performed from the first to the 12th week of gestation, and lessens punishment for abortions performed after the 12th week.

The Mexico City Legislative Assembly is scheduled to vote on the bill this coming Tuesday. Stay tuned.

Via / El Universal (Mexico) and La Jornada

Images via Ecosdelacosta.com.mx and La Jornada