International
Safe abortion and without stigma, one of the biggest claims of Mexican women this March 8
Despite the fact that abortion is already legalized in more than 20 of the 32 states of Mexico, many women and pregnant people continue to face barriers to access a safe, timely and stigma-free procedure, a latent claim in the country on the eve of International Women’s Day this Saturday.
Women who have aborted, networks of companions and civil organizations agree that the legal deadlines and causes are insufficient to guarantee this right, and, on the contrary, complicate safe and timely access for most Mexican women.
A few days after the decriminalization in the state of Michoacán (west) last October, Citlalli had to travel to Mexico City to interrupt an unwanted pregnancy, after going through a series of obstacles that prevented her from doing so in her locality.
She was 22 weeks old when she was able to access a safe abortion, although from the beginning she was convinced of her decision, hindered by misinformation and stigma, after the first attempt the medicine failed and she could not go to a clinic for an outpatient procedure.
“And time kept passing,” the woman who preferred to change her name because of the criminalization that persists in the country shared with EFE.
Michoacán is one of the 22 states that have decriminalized voluntary abortion, although limited to 12 weeks, except for Sinaloa (13 weeks) and Aguascalientes, which reduced it to six.
Citlalli was able to travel to Mexico City to abort, thanks to local networks and groups directing her to the Maria Fund, of the NGO Balance, where they provided her with accompaniment and financial support, without which, she says, she would “have had no choice but to have the baby and would not have been able to access a safe abortion.”
Like her, thousands of Mexican women abort in the capital, but many more remain in their states at risk of having unsafe procedures or continuing with pregnancy, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2021 that prevents the criminalization of abortion throughout the country.
Mexico City opened the way in 2007 to free abortion until the first trimester, reforming its laws and opening clinics of Legal Interruption of Pregnancy (ILE), which this 2025 turn 18 years of operating.
Despite being legal, the stigma and lack of medical training have also left their mark on the capital, such as Gaby, who five years ago had an abortion in a public clinic, but faced violence from medical personnel.
Doctors and nurses tried to condition the treatment by refusing to have an intrauterine contraceptive device placed on him, Gaby said, and then they mocked and ridiculed his decision.
“I felt that I was fighting, for my rights (…) and I think that many women feel exactly the same,” said the young woman who tried to report in the clinic, but only found a complaint box and there was never a follow-up, something she continues to claim in every feminist protest.
“I have gone out to march to shout with my sisters for our rights, for this whole patriarchal system that oppresses us so much, that violents us all the time,” he said.
Eliminating abortion from the Criminal Code is one of the main demands of the feminist movement in Mexico, which resonate strongly since last November, when the Congress of the capital was about to eliminate the deadlines for free access.
“The 12 weeks (of gestation) are not enough,” warned Gabriela Millán, of the María Fund, since different barriers intervene access and affect “disproportionately people who are in vulnerable situations.”
The proposal continues in the legislative field, “at the historical maximum it had reached,” said Francisco Cué Martínez, of the Information Group in Selected Reproduction (GIRE).
“It is a real paradigm shift that allows (…) to abandon once and for all that the penal system to determine who, when and how can access a basic health service,” said the lawyer.
International
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela, including vaccine-preventable illnesses, due to low immunization coverage across the country.
“The vaccination coverage in Venezuela, particularly against measles and other diseases, was already low, so the risk of measles cases and other illnesses is currently high,” said Ciro Ugarte, director for emergencies at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO’s regional office.
Speaking during a video conference with journalists, Ugarte said the risk is especially high in shelters, where overcrowding could significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.
He also highlighted water quality as an additional concern in the aftermath of the disaster, noting that safe drinking water is not guaranteed in the most affected areas.
“Unfortunately, supply is scarce, making it very difficult to assess conditions in all shelters. That is why evaluating the quality of water provided to the population, especially in large shelters, is a priority,” he said during a briefing in Geneva.
Ugarte suggested that targeted vaccination campaigns could be deployed against mosquito-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases, particularly in overcrowded shelters and in areas where people remain displaced.
According to PAHO, eight health facilities have been assessed so far, all of which require assistance, with three reporting structural damage.
He also stressed that the José María Vargas Hospital, one of Caracas’s major public reference hospitals, requires urgent support due to critical conditions. The facility is currently treating 96 patients in an eight-bed unit, while its blood bank is operating at extremely low levels.
In La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital has reduced its capacity from 108 to 35 beds. Additionally, 22 other health centers have reported severe shortages, underscoring the strain on Venezuela’s healthcare system.
International
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and disrupted her planned return to Venezuela following recent earthquakes, amid concerns over a potential political crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that a private jet carrying Machado from the United States to Curaçao was ordered to turn back last week after U.S. officials concluded she intended to continue onward to Venezuelan territory, effectively reversing her earlier departure route from December.
The opposition figure had reportedly spent months preparing to re-enter Venezuela in an effort to renew pressure for new elections, following the detention of then-president Nicolás Maduro under an order issued by Trump. The U.S. president has since stated that Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s acting leadership, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, is “excellent.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, intermediaries close to the White House warned Machado that proceeding with her return plan could jeopardize her support from Trump and undermine broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela, potentially delaying electoral plans.
Despite these warnings, Machado reportedly attempted a second route back through Panama. However, Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Venezuela, citing concerns over possible retaliation from Caracas against the airline, according to unnamed sources.
From Panama City, Machado stated on Monday that the Venezuelan government had closed commercial airspace to prevent her return, calling it “urgent” to go back to the country to “face this catastrophe together,” without addressing reports of U.S. pressure.
Axios reported that Trump administration officials viewed Machado’s attempted return as “grotesque political opportunism” in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that have left at least 2,595 people dead and thousands injured, while also delaying reconstruction efforts and potential electoral processes.
Since Maduro’s detention on January 3, President Trump has reportedly expressed support for Rodríguez, the former vice president, who has agreed to trade, mining, and oil agreements demanded by Washington. Trump has described Venezuela as effectively operating under U.S. oversight and has claimed the country is improving economically through increased oil production and exports.
Venezuelan opposition groups based in the United States have urged the Trump administration to reconsider its relationship with Rodríguez and criticized Washington’s stated satisfaction with reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
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