Lawmakers approved an “anti-rights” declaration: they oppose abortion and same-sex marriage. The Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies made explicit a shift it had already announced: through a declaration passed on the floor, the legislative body proclaimed itself “pro-life and pro-family .” The declaration, an initiative of Representative Del Pilar Medina (National Republican Association-Colorado Party, ANR), came as no surprise, as it had been circulating for several weeks. However, some legislators doubted it would actually be voted on and approved. The previous week, it had been sent to committees for evaluation, and no one believed it would make it past those stages. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK8EewIpxQQ[/embed] “The document is based on preserving the values ​​that support the family as a fundamental institution (…) It means being in favor of the dignity of every human being regardless of their condition and being against any action that threatens life,” says the approved bill, published on the Lower House website.

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“This violates the Paraguayan Constitution” The news was no surprise to LGBT+ and human rights activists. As activist David González of Somos Pytyvohára explained to Presentes: “We human rights activists knew perfectly well that working with this Chamber of Deputies and this Senate was going to be difficult. But now, impossible.” What's happening in Paraguay is truly deplorable. The aim is to prevent the advancement of all rights: those of women, of LGBTQ+ people, and of the most vulnerable.”. For González, it is a further radical step in an anti-rights trend that the country has been following since the previous government. And this trend is becoming even more radical under the current administration of Mario Abdo Benítez's Colorado Party:By declaring themselves pro-life and pro-family, they directly assume a religious and therefore unconstitutional position. Because the Paraguayan state is a secular state. Therefore, they are violating the rights of all people. I think it's a warning to us that the work over the next five years with this government and this parliament is going to be very arduous.”

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“Pro-life and pro-family is the modern name for intolerance”

As soon as the Chamber of Deputies' declaration was known, the Aireana organization issued a statement: “The anti-gender, anti-women's rights, anti-LGBT rights, ultra-conservative, Catholic and evangelical fundamentalist power groups (it's in the masculine plural because they like it) call themselves by a name that has nothing to do with many lives or many families.”The document states that “the political power structure in Paraguay is riddled with these fascist ideas that seek the exclusion of many people, hiding behind the issue of family.” It then explains what is meant by “pro-life and pro-family.” “It doesn’t have a literal meaning.” Being “pro-life” means being against the right of women (and pregnant people) to decide about their life and their body; it is basically being against abortion. “The rest of our lives never mattered to them.” In an interview with Presentes, Aireana activist Rosa Posa said it was no surprise: “With this government, nothing is a surprise to us.” It should be remembered that the Municipality of Encarnación has already declared itself pro-life and pro-family and tried, fortunately they were unsuccessful, to prohibit the local pride march.”. READ ALSO: Mayor bans Encarnación's first LGBT march The activist also analyzed that “you can’t even talk about setbacks because it’s not like Paraguay was progressing either,” although she does believe there is social growth. “And above all, I think there is resistance: We will continue to resist and fight. We will not go back into the closet.”

Minority resistance in the Chamber

Among the deputies who opposed the measure was Celeste Amarilla (PLRA): “We cannot declare ourselves in favor of a movement, an ideology, a way of thinking or seeing life, because we do not share the principles of that group; therefore, we cannot claim such a title behind the backs of another percentage of citizens who do not share this view; we are not here to legislate for only one group,” the legislator said in the chamber, although her position was in the minority among her peers. She also requested that her name not be included anywhere in the document approving the bill. She added: “We are representatives of all Paraguayans. I am against abortion, but that does not allow me to declare myself against those who think differently from me.” Another who opposed the measure was Sebastián Villarejo (PPQ), who considered that “the Chamber of Deputies, as part of a branch of government, should not take positions like these (…) We do not support the request as a Chamber. We believe it is appropriate that deputies, parliamentary groups, and parties can take positions, but not the Chamber itself,” he said.