Presumed presidential candidate Nebot supports abortion in the case of rape

Former Guayaquil mayor Jaime Nebot said Monday that he supports a woman’s right to an abortion in the case of rape. He also said that the entire “question of abortion needs a thorough review due to the high number of clandestine procedures.”

Jaime Nebot

Although he has not officially announced his candidacy, Nebot led all prospective 2021 presidential candidates by a wide margin in a recent poll.

Currently, abortion in any case is illegal in Ecuador but legislation being considered in the National Assembly could allow it in cases of rape or incest. Attempts to change the law failed during the presidency of Rafael Correa who supported the position of the Catholic church and opposed all abortions.

In a series of Tweets, Nebot said that a woman who has been raped should not be subject to “further injustices,” such as public condemnation and jail. Although he said he personally opposes abortion in most cases, he said the fact that there are a large number of illegal abortions performed in Ecuador cannot be ignored. “This cannot be swept under the carpet. I respect all opinions on the subject and believe we should have a full and open debate on abortion.”