A recent survey by the National University of Costa Rica (UNA) has shed new light on the nation’s views regarding abortion, revealing deep divides among different age and education groups. The Study of the Perception of the Costa Rican Population on Values and Religious Practices 2024, conducted by UNA, revealed that 70% of the population is inclined to reject abortion.
Only 11% of those surveyed were entirely in favor of abortion, while the remaining 19% justified their positions without providing a clear answer. According to the UNA study—which surveyed a representative sample of the population—people over 55 years of age are the most opposed to abortion (82% against and 4% in favor), and 44% of individuals between 18 and 24 also consider it unacceptable. Additionally, 100% of those with no schooling stated that abortion was “never acceptable,” a percentage that decreases as the level of education increases.
Amid these strong opinions and in the context of an impending electoral campaign, the debate has taken a legislative turn. The government indicated that it would present a bill to increase penalties for abortion. Deputy Fabricio Alvarado of the New Republic party introduced a bill that seeks to increase prison sentences for performing abortions in the country.
The proposed bill aims to increase the penalties for abortion in cases where it is performed without the woman’s consent or if the woman is under 15 years of age, raising the penalty from the current 3 to 10 years to a range of 20 to 35 years in prison. “Abortion is homicide, the cruelest of them all, and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Alvarado stated.
For abortions performed with the woman’s consent, the bill outlines two distinct scenarios. In one case, penalties would increase from the current 1 to 3 years in prison to a range of 18 to 35 years. In a separate provision—possibly reflecting a different gestational period or context—the law would establish a penalty of 6 years, effectively doubling the current penalty. Clarification on whether these refer to separate scenarios is still pending, as officials review the details of the proposal.
Furthermore, if an abortion is performed within the first 6 months of pregnancy, the penalty would be raised from the current 6 months to 2 years to a range of 10 months to 5 years in prison. The bill also proposes changing the regulation of therapeutic abortion so that it can only be applied if the woman’s physical health is at risk, rather than including mental health considerations as is currently the case. This change could have significant implications for medical professionals and patients, narrowing the circumstances under which therapeutic abortion may be legally performed.
The debate over these proposed changes continues to intensify, especially as Costa Rican political leaders and community members respond to both the survey findings and the new legislative proposals ahead of the electoral campaign.
