The Argentine government will be postponing its bill to legalise abortion until 2021.

President Alberto Fernández vowed to legalise abortion during campaigning for last year’s election and committed in his March 1 state-of-the-nation speech that a bill would enter Congress within the following 10 days.

In the ensuing months the government announced more than once that the bill was ready for presentation, despite the coronavirus pandemic, but there was no consensus within the Cabinet, according to reports.

On Monday, Cabinet Chief Santiago Cafiero said that “although the government’s intention was always clear with respect to abortion,” the idea was to debate the bill without restrictions in either Congress or the public arena, with full social participation.

Until the pandemic could be brought under control, the legalisation of abortion could not be a priority for the government, said Cafiero, underlining that this position was supported by Vice-President Cristina Fernández Kirchner, as well as the Cabinet.

Last Saturday marked the second anniversary of the Senate’s rejection of the abortion bill previously approved by the lower house Chamber of Deputies. The initiative enjoys considerable social support, but is also strongly resisted by pro-life sectors.